Fact #7: Did you know medical malpractice is one of the leading causes of death in the United States?

Union?  Non-Union?  What's the Difference?  It Could be Life or Death...
 

Fact #1: Did you know Insurance Reform is the only way to reduce excessive malpractice insurance rates?
 
• Insurance reform contained in the 2005 legislation was working, not the caps.

• Insurance reforms, not the caps, directly addressed the issues of abuses in the insurance industry, which have been a major factor in leading to higher insurance rates.

Fact #2: Did you know Illinois' largest malpractice insurer's payouts have remained flat for over a decade?
 
• Illinois' largest malpractice insurer's own data shows payouts have remained flat for the past 13 years, while premiums and profits skyrocketed.

• Medical malpractice insurance rate increases between 2000 and 2005 resulted in record insurance company profits and gold-plated compensation packages for insurance executives.

Fact #3: Did you know Illinois Department of Insurance has reported medical malpractice insurance reforms were working?
 
• The insurance reforms contained in the 2005 legislation were working.  So much so that the Director of the Department of Insurance is encouraging insurers go comply with the reforms after the law has been overturned.

Fact #4: Did you know the dramatic increases in malpractice insurance rates in the years leading up to 2005 were not needed to pay claims, because there was no increase in claims?
 
• ISMIE'S own data clearly shows that there was NO increase in paid claims.  In fact, the number of paid claims was actually stable or even decreasing prior to 2005.

Fact #5: Did you know malpractice insurance rates dramatically increased while the number of claims paid and the total amount of paid claims have not?
 
• ISMIE was enjoying record profits while raising malpractice rates for doctors.

• Malpractice insurance rates were skyrocketing while ISMIE's own data, filed with the Department of Insurance, showed claims and payouts were stable or even decreasing.

Fact #6: Did you know independent authoritative studies have shown that medical malpractice claims have little effect on overall health care costs?
 
• Malpractice claims boost overall health care costs no more than a tiny percentage according to the Congressional Budget Office.