Report blames NY government for state's medical malpractice crisis

New York's medical crisis hasn't been caused by skyrocketing medical malpractice premiums, according to a report released by Public Citizen, New York Public Interest Research Group and the Center for Medical Consumers. Instead, the report puts the blame on the state's government.

The report claims that a recent 14% hike in rates was not caused by increased litigation. Instead, the researchers say that insurers had to raise rates to make up for poor policy decisions made by the state-namely, the state's refusal to allow insurers to raise rates for 8 years starting in mid-1995 and its mandate for insurers to absorb the costs on a shared basis of an expensive state program insuring high-risk doctors.

The report also refutes claims that increased rates have caused physicians to stop practicing in the state. Instead, it notes that the number of doctors in the state has been at its highest in at least a decade.