Like Maryland, Oregon is seeing declining medical malpractice premiums for doctors.
The DCBS Insurance Division found that doctors insured by Oregon's two largest medical malpractice insurers - Continental Casualty Company (CNA) and Northwest Physicians Insurance Company have experienced an average 18 percent rate decrease since 2005 (see chart below). This is the exact same experience we have had in Maryland. "In the earlier part of this decade, rising malpractice insurance costs were a significant concern for specialty doctors, particularly in rural areas, forcing many to leave the state," said Cory Streisinger, director of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services. "The recent decline in rates should help Oregon continue to retain and attract highly skilled physicians."
Every state seems to have some doctors' lobbying group (MedChi in Maryland) that is always talking about how it is losing its doctors to some other state. Nevada is another classic example of this. The lobbyist for its doctors spent a ton of money to scare voters into enacting ridiculous caps on medical malpractice lawsuits.
But my question is what state are all of the doctors going? They have to go somewhere, right?
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