How is Obamacare, which is now inevitable, going to affect the No Fault insurance coverage, as in motor vehicle or workers' compensation accidents, or even slip and fall? Many medical specialties, e.g. orthopedics, neurosurgery, pain management, radiology, anesthesia, neurology, rehabilitation are probably wondering about this right now, as I am sure are the numerous lawyers specializing in personal injury. For one, these "No Fault" systems are very much State-specific in their rules and regulations, while Obamacare is nationwide. If Obamacare seriously plans to reduce healthcare costs how could it not also tackle the healthcare provided under the cover of some legal umbrella, be it motor vehicle, workers' comp, slip and fall, or any third party liability.I have practiced medicine in the Middle East, Africa and Western Europe, The only country in the world where patients go to the doctor quite often primarily to "make money" is right here in America. Sustained a fender bender? call Fender & Bender Law immediately and they will pull out of the desk drawer a stack of business cards of their group of loyal providers, usually headed by the local chiropractor who is the "build-the-case" expert. If you have other passengers in the vehicle, the more the merrier! Personal injury is a HUGE business especially in some states. One's auto insurance usually pays better than Medicare or practically any commercial insurance these days. Unlike the latter, Comp or auto carriers are readily subject to legal and arbitration procedures and providers will ultimately get paid even if it is 1-2 years later. Actually this arbitration process is very familiar to those PI providers and the lawyers who refer the patients to them and charge extra to do those arbitrations.
Reducing healthcare costs is furthest on the minds of these PI patients and lawyers, As a matter of fact patients are instructed routinely by their lawyers to diligently visit this or that specialist "on the team" to run up the tab, and even to undergo this or that surgery, regardless of risks, to build their case and increase their settlement value. Afficionados are aware that settlements are largely calculated based on the amount of medical bills. The more surgeries the better! Nevermind if disability ensues, Medicare and Social Security are right there to bail you out! By the way the latter behavior trend is what caused the doubling of the number of people on SSDI in the last ten years, with all the added costs to the nation.
In summary the healthcare system is like a toothpaste tube. You squeeze one end it comes out of the other. As it is, many patients try as best they can to receive their care under a No Fault system because not only they can get more eager providers to care for them this way, but they can also make money to boot. What a deal! I doubt Obamacare will do anything about this state of affairs because the lawyers in the country will not allow it, and they are the ones governing us.
