The Times Union recently published an Associated Press report on an impending need for primary care doctors ("Provider gap predicted," June 23). But to those practicing medicine in New York, physician shortages are hardly news. For years, doctors have been driven from the state, in large part because of enormously high medical liability insurance premiums.
New York has the highest medical insurance payouts and premiums in the country by an astounding margin. Physicians in parts of the state pay nearly $200,000 per year for insurance. Yet, this is hardly an indictment of our doctors and hospitals. Indeed, New York physicians are among the safest and most skilled in the nation. The reason for this disconnect is our legal system, which incentivizes a steady stream of lawsuits. In fact, a series of studies (http://bit.ly/WaG8sT) of closed claims by the Harvard School of Public Health found that more than half of medical malpractice claims were either "frivolous" or of "uncertain merit."
It's so bad the state has been forced to intervene. Last year alone, New York taxpayers' paid $127.4 million (http://bit.ly/19I1qTF) to subsidize medical-malpractice insurance. But this is treating the symptom, not curing the disease.
The fact is our doctors are leaving (http://bit.ly/qooT4l) for states where measures have been passed to curb litigation. Those who remain must wonder every day whether the next time they see a patient it will be in the courtroom. New York doctors should be allowed to focus on saving lives, not fighting lawsuits.
Arthur C. Fougner, MD
Little Neck