Health Care

Randall Bovbjerg, an attorney, correctly points out (Commentary, Jan. 4) that quality improvement in the health care system has been stifled by fear of litigation. He says that if HMOs, doctors and hospitals would just deliver the right care, attorneys would wisely sue only when there is noncompliance with perfection. How to achieve this perfection? With “reasonable standards for medical practice,” “across-the-board safety measures” and “clinical guidelines with teeth.”

In a few years our health insurance premiums will be up another 30%, and 50 million Americans will be uninsured. The backward march of incremental health care reform continues, led by a cohort of clueless consultants.

SIDNEY I. SIEGEL MD

Covina