Washington, D.C.--The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office recently concluded that adding tort reform and other limits on frivolous lawsuits to the health care bill Congress is considering would save at least $54 billion in health care costs.But according to former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, "the reason tort reform is not in the bill is because the people who wrote it did not want to take on the trial lawyers," who give 95% of their political donations to Democrats.
Without the savings of tort reform, the bill raises the costs of health care paid by the lower and middle classes and imposes additional tax penalties on anyone who doesn't buy their own health insurance, otherwise known as the "health insurance mandate."
In response to critics, Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid announced a compromise in which a new "law degree mandate" would be added to the legislation that would require everyone to attend law school and become lawyers, or else face the same stiff tax penalties they would if they failed to buy health insurance.
"That way," said Reid, "everyone covered by the bill can enjoy the same unlimited right to file frivolous lawsuits against doctors and share in the vast waste of resources caused by our current system of jackpot justice." He added, "They can also contribute more money to the Democratic Party."
Associated article: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/oct/15/tort-reform-savings/
