Medical malpractice rate hikes are not being caused by increased patient claims or higher jury verdicts, according to the nonprofit Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights (FTCR). The organization cites a new study by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) that looks at medmal claim data over a period from 1991 to 2003. Per doctor, the claims count has declined over that period and after being adjusted for inflation, rose only 1.7% annually and actually fell since 2001, according to the KFF study available at http://www.kff.org/insurance/7328.cfm.
Source: "KFF: Medical Malpractice Claims Stable; FTCR Reports Time to Focus on Insurers' Practices" Insurance Journal May 31, 2005