Texas as Reform Model

That’s what Newt Gingrich and Dallas surgeon John Gill say in today’s WSJ, citing to the state’s caps on noneconomic damages, spread-out payments on large awards, and “Good Samaritan” protections.  (The actual piece costs money; this Law Blog piece summarizes it.)

One excerpt:

physicians are returning to the state, particularly in underserved specialties and counties. Insurance premiums to protect against frivolous lawsuits have declined dramatically, with the state’s largest carrier reporting declines up to 22% and other carriers reducing premiums by an average of 13%. The number of lawsuits filed against doctors has been cut almost in half.

Some questions (real questions – I’d love to know the answers):

• What is the basis for “physicians are returning to the state, particularly in underserved specialties and counties”?  Is there a basis for tying this to Texas’s legislative changes?
• Do insurers really separately insure “frivolous lawsuits”?  Have only frivolous suits been reduced?
• Is it an unmitigated good to report that “the number of lawsuits filed against doctors has been cut almost in half”?