cost of malpractice in health care
A new study reveals that the cost of medical malpractice in the United States is running at about $55.6 billion a year â $45.6 billion of which is spent on defensive medicine practiced by physicians seeking to stay clear of lawsuits. The amount comprises 2.4% of the nationâs total health care expenditure. The numbers are the result of a Harvard School of Public Health study published in the September edition of Health Affairs, purporting to be the most reliable estimate of malpractice costs to date.
Results of the NEJM study (mentioned above) showed average compensation in medical malpractice claims to be about $485,000, with average jury awards after a verdict in court checking in at almost twice the average out-of-court settlement ($799,000 for jury awards and $462,000 for settlements).