ABSTRACT: The conventional wisdom is that malpractice premiums have steadily risen.
and now constitute a crisis for medical practice. The best available data suggest otherwise.
Marc Rodwin
American Medical Association (AMA) surveys of self-employed physicians from 1970 to
2000 indicate that premiums rose until 1986, then declined until 1996, rose thereafter, but were lower in 2000 than in 1986. Other items represented a much greater share of total practice expenses in 1970 yet increased rapidly until 1996 and moderately thereafter,
while spending on premiums fell during 1986-2000. National trends were reflected with
variations in obstetrics/gynecology, surgery, and anesthesiology and in nine regions surveyed.
[Health Affairs 25, no. 3 (2006): 750-758; 10.1377/hlthaff.25.3.750]