More and more, the world of medical insurance is becoming complicated. In addition to what’s happening in Washington and in state capitals in terms of health care reform, there are other things going on that are affecting the cost and the overall state of medical insurance. One of these issues is the issue of malpractice lawsuits and malpractice insurance.

Because of the fear of malpractice lawsuits, more and more doctors are changing the way they do business. Many doctors are limiting what services they are willing to provide. Others are leaving their practices completely. As malpractice suits grow in terms of their large awards, malpractice insurance premiums are rising, too. This makes malpractice insurance premiums nearly unaffordable for some health care providers and even hospitals.

In some cases, health care providers are packing up their medical bag and moving to other states. Some states have better malpractice protection than others. Overall, however, health care providers of many types are asking lawmakers for tort reform that will lower the risk involved in trying to provide the best health care they can to their patients.

This phenomenon is especially disheartening for some patients with certain high-risk conditions. As doctors move to areas that are more friendly in terms of malpractice issues, patients have less access to health care. This can mean that cases like brain injuries or high-risk pregnancies may not have as many options when it comes to who is providing medical care.

Physicians are increasingly frustrated. Many feel that it doesn’t matter how good a doctor they are. Even baseless malpractice claims can wind up having a dramatic effect on insurance premiums. The number of claims against a health care provider doesn’t necessarily reflect their competence as a doctor. Furthermore, doctors can see premium increases based on the number of claims brought against them, even if those claims wind up being false.

The problem of malpractice insurance dates back at least to the 1970s. During that decade, the cost of claims rose at an alarming rate. The medical liability insurance providers tried to deal with the issue by raising premiums. In some cases, premiums were doubled or even tripled.

Still, statistically speaking, there has not been a growth in the number of new medical malpractice claims over the past decade. According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, new medical malpractice claims have been relatively steady through this first decade of the new millennium. Still, the amount of money spent on medical malpractice insurance has risen as much as 50 percent or more in that time, as well.