2.4 Percent Of Healthcare Costs Due To Malpractice

From "Malpractice Adds Less than 3 Percent to Healthcare Tab" by Peggy Peck, Executive Editor, MedPage Today, September 07, 2010:

Costs associated with medical malpractice added about $55.6 billion to the nation's total healthcare costs in 2008 -- roughly 2.4% of a more than $2.3-trillion tab -- and most of that money went to pay for tests, procedures, and treatments associated with defensive medicine, according to an analysis by Harvard researchers.

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Is Government Mandated Health Insurance Constitutional?

In an August 22, 2009, Washington Post article, "Illegal Health Reform," David B. Rivkin Jr. and Lee A. Casey argue that Congress cannot mandate the purchase of healthcare insurance.

President Obama's proposal to reform the medical system requires every individual to obtain medical insurance.

Rivkin and Casey write:

But can Congress require every American to buy health insurance?

In short, no. The Constitution assigns only limited, enumerated powers to Congress and none, including the power to regulate interstate commerce or to impose taxes, would support a federal mandate requiring anyone who is otherwise without health insurance to buy it.

Read the complete Washington Post article by Rivkin and Casey here.