A service used to protect people harmed by a doctor's inexcusable actions has turned into a money-making scheme. Medical malpractice has been present in the United States since 1794 and has since grown into a multibillion-dollar industry. Since the inception of accident insurance, the cost of premiums charged by companies has increased, subsequently causing the cost of medical procedures to increase. By limiting monetary compensation for various injuries, this multibillion-dollar industry will run more smoothly and allow doctors to provide more cost-effective healthcare services. Medical negligence is an essential control in the medical field, but it is currently causing more harm than good. Limiting medical malpractice payments will reduce your premium costs while keeping your vital program intact. Limiting medical malpractice seems counterintuitive because the program is in place to compensate victims of malpractice, but limiting monetary damages is a necessity to reduce the cost of health care. Medical malpractice torts are a way for victims of a doctor's negligence to collect damages from doctors. This system is necessary for the success of the medical industry, but the profits have become too high. Limits have been placed on malpractice awards in several states, and impressive results have become public: “Twenty-eight states have laws that limit payments in malpractice cases, and several studies indicate that these laws reduce the frequency and severity of malpractice claims. . and lower premiums" (Hellinger). These twenty-eight states have seen lower insurance rates because doctors are not paying as much money in medical malpractice insurance rates as before. In California there is a $250,000 cap on noneconomic damages, which must be formalized in malpractice lawsuits before too many competent doctors retire and leave “high” risk patients high and dry. Works CitedCBO. Limitation of Liability for Medical Malpractice. Washington, DC: U.S. Congressional Budget Office, 2004. Print.CMA. "CMA - California Medical Association." MICRA. Network. May 18, 2014.Fitzgerald, Sandy. “Harry Reid: Obamacare 'costs me about $4,500 more'” Newsmax. 06 December 2013. Web. 18 May 2014. Hellinger, Fred J. and William E. Encinosa. “The Impact of State Laws Limiting Negligence Damage Awards on Health Care Costs.” NCBI. Network. May 18, 2014. Manner, Paul A. “Practicing Defensive Medicine: It's Not Good for Patients or Doctors.” Practicing defensive medicine: not good for patients or doctors. Network. May 18, 2014. Associated Press. “Limiting malpractice lawsuits can save big.” Msnbc.com. 09 October 2009. Web. 21 May 2014.