The Whole Truth About Medical Malpractice and Insurance Fact #11

Fact #11: Did you know that the tale of a medical malpractice "crisis" is a ten-year cyclical occurrence? 

• The same cries of a medical malpractice "crisis" were heard in 1975, 1985, 1995 and 2005.  This ten-year           repeating pattern proves that insurance rates are related to insurance business cycles and investment income, not malpractice claims. 

• In response to each so-called "medical malpractice crisis," Illinois adopted laws restricting patients' rights.  And each time the courts held those laws unconstitutional. 

• The insurance industry's own data shows that medical malpractice claims and lawsuits in Illinois are stable. 

• After the most recent "crisis," it is even clearer that medical malpractice insurance rates are based on insurance company business decisions, investment income and other economic factors.   

• For more information regarding insurance reform, see "The Whole Truth About Medical Malpractice and Insurance" pages 35-36, available at http://www.iltla.com/pdf/WhitePaper_TheWholeTruth_Feb2010.pdf; and www.InsuranceReformIllinois.org.