Article on so-called "defensive medicine" and tort reform

One common argument used by those who propose tort reform in the medical malpractice area is that the fear of litigation results in doctors practicing so-called "defensive medicine" which, in turn, results in higher costs. So the question is: is so-called defensive medicine really motivated by liability concerns? There is evidence that even if it is, there are other interests at play: the interest of some physicians in making more money off their patients. The PopTort has a story here on an article published in the Washington Post on the issue and a comment on the fact that President Obama stated recently that doctors ordering unnecessary tests to insulate themselves from lawsuits “is a very small, maybe not even a measurable factor in the reason healthcare costs are going up.” For this second story, go here.