April 01, 2006

One of the arguments for medical malpractice reform is that excessive liability serves to drive doctors out of the market for performing procedures with malpractice risk, and reduces access to health care. While this proposition makes sense as a matter of basic economics, there has been very little empirical study of the subject. On April 5, two economists who have previously done work in the area, David Dranove and Jon Klick, will be presenting new papers with their latest results. Randy Bovbjerg of the Urban Institute and I will be commenting; AEI's Jack Calfee will moderate. Register for the event here; the page will also eventually have a web-cast.