BABY AND THE BATH WATER

I want to talk to you about a “ baby and the bathwater” story. Almost literally.

There is something almost sinister and medically a time bomb going on in this country in the area of obstetrics and gynaecology.

In concerns outrageous insurance company demands and it is forcing obstetricians out of their chosen and skilled profession.

Apparently it involves malpractice and negligence insurance. In the past obstetricians and gynos have paid insurance premiums covering the mothers and babies they treat until the child is one year old. They even pay it a year in advance.

Now, the insurance companies are demanding their policies cover possible lawsuits brought by mothers or their children much later in life.

In fact obstetricians claim they are being asked to pay premiums nearly 25 years in advance! That involves thousands and thousands of dollars and that is madness.

People can bring lawsuits when they “ are mature” (18 years old) but there is also a six-year grace period. Hence the 24 years legal window.

It doesn’t only apply to obstetricians. It applies to surgeons and other medicos. And it doesn’t only apply to active doctors.

According to my information the rates are going up from around $48,000 a year to $60,000 a year on July 1. And when you retire you can still get malpractice insurance for past cases -- for three years for around $200,000! This is madness.

But back to the obstetricians. I have had anecdotal evidence in a number of e-mails from women who are losing their doctor at a crucial time of pregnancy,

One woman told me that she is due on July 3. Her obstetrician has told her to find somebody else. She is shutting up shop, taking down her shingle, on June 30.

You don’t have to be a genius to realise what pressure such private clinic actions will place on already over-crowded public facilities.

Laterally thinking, maybe the doctors should start their own malpractice insurance scheme (a la the lawyers) but methinks that is not going to happen.

Right now with July 1 only ten weeks away things are looking sick.

Wednesday, April 16, 2003

©Copyright Derryn Hinch 2002