April 07, 2005

Malpractice premium increases may be leveling off around the country, but as we've documented in this space (Aug. 25, Mar. 2, etc.), they're doing much better than just leveling off in Texas, where voters approved a constitutional amendment authorizing limits on damages. Some newer reports: TMLT, JUA, etc. There's a wider pattern, according to the AMA's American Medical News, of improvement in states that have recently enacted liability reform:

In Texas, for example, every insurer but one has lowered liability premiums in 2005, and the last one soon could follow suit, said Texas Medical Assn. President Bohn D. Allen, MD. Meanwhile, West Virginia has seen an increase in new physicians and a decline in defense costs for liability insurance companies, and Ohio has seen a moderation of premium increases and two new insurers enter the market.

Anne Linehan thinks she discerns evidence of the Houston Chronicle's discomfiture about some of this, on which see also Ted's post of last Aug. 25.