Snowpatrol: Unfortunately, on this board, if you present a salient point that runs counter to the "party line", you will be accused of being "personally connected with Bush/Cheney" and a Dem hater, even though your post may be by and large politcally neutral. You make some excellent points, and as far as I am concerned, should be looked at as part of the solution to rising health care costs.

I am in no way opposed to individuals and families being compensated for being butchered by bad doctors, but like you said; it's turned into an industry of extortion and blackmail, with good doctors and all of us patients ending up as the true victims.