As we are approaching the next step towards healthcare reform, I can’t help but think, is anyone in Washington listening?

I was reading yesterday’s IBD article entitled “A 1,990-Page Medical Monstrosity” and the author displays how much Nancy Pelosi really doesn’t care about the little people like you and I. (Video)

But the truth is, it’s the little people who have all of the answers.  It’s the government and its special interest groups who are causing more problems and bringing even worse solutions to the table.

One of the most evident and clearly defined solutions to healthcare problems is tort reform.  We’ve become a sue happy nation.  I’m fat, I’m going to sue McDonald’s.  I’m sad, I’m going to sue the state for being so cloudy.  I’m in debt, I’m going to sue GAP for allowing me to open that credit card, even though I didn’t have the money to pay it off.  My kids are lazy, I’m going to sue XBOX.  You get the point.

Medical malpractice premiums are out of control.  Some states have completely lost any consideration among great doctors because the premiums are too high (Illinois being one of the biggest culprits…don’t we know someone from Illinois?).  Do you see what’s wrong with this picture?!  Doctors are choosing where to practice, not based on best career opportunities, geography, or patient care, but based on whether or not they can afford to practice and pay their bills.  We are doing our nation’s brightest and best doctors a disservice by disabling them through insanely high malpractice costs.

That’s not even the worst part, now here comes the actual malpractice lawsuit.  States like California have the highest annual paid malpractice claims.   According to the Washington Examiner, tort reform or medical malpractice reform could “eliminate anywhere from 6-27% of all additional health costs.” Not to mention, doctors could then stop practicing such defensive medicine because we wouldn’t be threatening lawsuits every other day.

So, if this sounds like such an easy and simple solution, then why hasn’t our government proposed it with the new healthcare reform? Well, two words.  Trial Lawyers.  Naturally, these lawyers (not all) are against tort reform because it would lower their income and their power and the government doesn’t want to do that.  Why?  Because guess who donated $127 million last year to federal government campaigns?  The American Trial Lawyers Political Action Committee (now known as the AAJ PAC).  These lawyers voted 96% democrat, so naturally, you can bet that if they scratched Obama’s back, he better scratch theirs.

Obama is once again putting special interest groups ahead of the American people.  We are getting the short end of the stick because the people in congress and the president don’t have the guts to face the trial lawyers and make a change that is for the better.

Americans voted that they wanted change.  Is this what you had in mind? If it’s not, then let Nancy Pelosi and congress know that while we may be little, we have the real power, we are America’s republic, and we will be heard.

I dedicate this article to the most passionate, proud, and loving doctor I know, my sister-in-law.

If you’d like to write to Nancy: http://speaker.house.gov/contact/

Are you there Nancy?  It’s me, Lizzie.