The Arkansas Health Care Association (the state nursing home lobby) has raised more than $300,000 to put a cap on attorney fees and “non-economic” damages from negligence and medical malpractice at a meager $250,000. Legal fees, after costs, would be capped at a sparse $83,000. According to the Ethics Commission filings, the group has already pitched in $250K. An additional $62K came from two nursing home chains in Arkansas. It is also reported that several doctors and pharmacists have contributed as well.
Caps on non-economic damages deprive the elderly of one of their few options for significant recovery. The vast majority of Plaintiffs can claim economic damages and the cost of medical care. However, those options are not available to nursing home residents, whose working lives are over. Most elderly patients already have medical care financed through Medicare. The life of a mistreated senior citizen would be worth $250,000 - - -period.
As we have blogged about many times here at Advocate Capital, Inc., there is no credible evidence that lawsuits have a substantial impact on nursing home cost or that there is a correlation between the quality of care and the cost of care.
Constituents in Arkansas, please consider not signing this ballot when asked to do so.
The full article authored by Max Brantley and published by the Arkansas Times is available here.
Senior Vice President
Photo Credit: niroworld