Does the Healthcare Debate Have Room For Greed

Unless you’ve been held in solitary confinement for the last six months, you are aware that the Obama administration has taken on the challenge of improving our healthcare system. The objective is to reduce costs, offer healthcare insurance to everyone in the country, and improve the quality of care.

As you listen to the noise (I wouldn’t call it a debate, dialogue, or discussion), you might think the argument is about what Obama’s plan will take away from the average citizen. But a little background check on who is driving your neighbor to sound off will give you a second thought.

Personal Injury Damages Are Not Limited by Amount Medical Insurance Pays

There has been an on-going controversy about whether insured victims may recover the full amount billed by healthcare providers for medical expenses in a personal injury lawsuit or the reduced amount that insurers negotiate with healthcare providers. The defense bar has relied on cases that have induced courts to reduce medical expense awards in personal injury lawsuits to the amount actually paid by the private healthcare insurance carrier for the personal injury victim. The plaintiff’s bar has argued that the full amount is recoverable under the Collateral Source Rule, because a responsible victim who has had insurance coverage in place should not be subject to a reduced award because his or her insurance company has negotiated a lesser price for the medical services provided.