Quentin Kramer, Senior Account Executive at KnowledgeLake, said that tort reform is necessary to address escalating malpractice insurance costs and excessive litigation that place financial strain on practitioners and society. The statement was made on the social media platform X.
"It seems to me that the balance got broken in favor of the attorney and the public paid the price in the form of escalating malpractice insurance fees that hurt primarily private practitioners, and excessive tests to ensure that if a suit came, all bases were covered," said Kramer. "When I say tort reform I am meaning to suggest that we should review the standards and practices and law in this area to close gaps and perhaps egregious monetary rewards rather than other forms of punishment. Egregious monetary rewards covered by insurance don't harm the doctor at fault, they harm society at large."
According to the American Medical Association (AMA), the medical liability insurance market is "hardening" as premiums continue to rise in 2025—marking the fifth consecutive year of increases. Nearly one in three physicians reported higher premiums last year, with rates climbing as much as 10–25% in some states. The AMA warns that these escalating costs are unsustainable and could drive more private practitioners out of business.
Research published by the National Institutes of Health found that defensive medicine—tests and treatments performed primarily to avoid malpractice claims—accounts for roughly 2.9% of total U.S. healthcare spending, or about $45–$50 billion annually. The study concluded that reducing malpractice pressure through tort reform could meaningfully cut these unnecessary costs without compromising patient safety.
A study published by the Social Science Research Network found that states enacting tort reform, including caps on non-economic damages, experienced significant reductions in malpractice premiums—averaging declines of 17–25% over several years. The research also indicated that these reforms improved physician supply, particularly in high-risk specialties, without negatively impacting patient care outcomes.
Kramer is a Senior Account Executive at KnowledgeLake, specializing in automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and workflow optimization for enterprise clients in healthcare, manufacturing, and legal sectors. With over 20 years in IT leadership and solution design, he focuses on helping organizations use technology to improve efficiency and reduce costs.