Liability Issues

[neilc]

hello everyone...i am still torn between ob/gyn and general surg! the question of liability is a big one...a couple questions:

1. is there any relief in the future, or anything new being done about the astronomical malpractice premiums? i have heard many stories about docs refusing to do ob in several towns and states...but i have not heard if anything is being done. any of you have any info?

2. what real affect does malpractice/liability have on income? i am seeing reasonable average salaries for ob/gy (around 150-200k seems avg), but i am wondering what that really means. is that status post malpractice premium? i know it is different based on group vs private practice...so, any info on how it affects each type of practice would be great!


thanks!

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[dankatzzz]

Liability relief is right around the corner. I am pretty confident some legislation will finally go into effect this year on a federal level which will limit malpractice awards. This should alleviate most of the current concern (as it did in the past in California).

As for paying $120k for liability insurance, I am sure these MD's earn more than enough to cover that. The issue is how many deliveries do you need to have to cover your malpractice cost of OB. Some places you need as high as 80-100 deliveries to make OB worth it to you financially.

My view on this is do what you think you like the most. 4 years from now the liability picture will be different. Also, general surgeons also pay their share of liability insurance, albeit not as much as OB/GYNs

Good luck,
Dani
MSIV

 

[neilc]

thasnks for the reply...i don't really think liability issues or compensation issues will play that big a role when i do decide what path i would like to take. i just want to make sure that i don't get totally screwed!

it is tough to decide...i like ob/gyn and surg for pretty different reasons. i do like the surgical aspect of ob/gyn...but somedays i love the idea of also being a primary care provider, and somedays i hate it...time will tell, i hope. or maybe some dynamic teacher will sway me...

if anyone cares to share, i would love to hear the reasons why you chose ob/gyn, and what other specialties you considered.

 

[Celiac Plexus]

Though I would never make your career decision solely on the amount of insurance you will have to pay, it should be a factor. In NY, NJ, & PA, there are ortho & general surgeons paying 130K/yr in malpractice. The malpractice rates in PA, and NJ for surgeons has gone up an average of 20% for the last 3 years...

If the federal government does pass the 250K cap on noneconomic damages then I think this will stabilize... it will probably fall too as more insurers re-enter the malpractice markey and compete for business.

However, I disagree with the above poster that reform is "just around the corner". I wish it was. But until reform is actually signed in to law, you'll still have to pay...

An important point is that any field with surgery will have higher premiums. Ob/gyn is the absolute worst, followed by gensurg, ortho, and the other surgical subspecialties. Picking between gensurg and ob/gyn based on insurance premiums is like picking between the pot & the kettle.

Finally, the income averages that you see on web sites are after malpractice has been paid.