Letters: Malpractice payments have fallen dramatically

Let's stick to the facts about the cost to doctors and hospitals for medical malpractice insurance:

Malpractice premiums (adjusted for inflation) are the lowest they've been in 30 years, according to Americans for Insurance Reform.

In Pennsylvania, the drop has been significant - down 10.2 percent.

On average, Pennsylvania doctors are paying $14,097 less than they were four years ago.

Payouts by medical malpractice insurance companies nationally have declined since 2002 by close to 20 percent. In Pennsylvania, that decline is more than 50 percent since 2003.

The greatest cost is attributable to preventable medical errors, such as infections. The number of preventable deaths in U.S. hospitals approximates two full-capacity 747s crashing each month with the loss of all lives.

Insurance companies and health-care special interests who have been reaping huge profits would like you to believe that we need tort reform. What we need is affordable health care for Americans and a plan to reduce preventable medical errors.

Stewart Eisenberg

President, Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association

Philadelphia