The rising cost of malpractice insurance and fears over lawsuits have driven doctors to order extensive testing and hospitalization for patients, especially those with chest pain. Decisions about what tests are needed and the necessity of hospitalization, especially among emergency room physicians, is being affected by the threat of malpractice, which leads to significantly higher costs for insurance companies. With the increase in costs due to extensive testing, a rise in health insurance costs are bound to follow.

Health insurance costs have risen continually each year, and with the increase in medical testing, that trend is certain to continue. Physicians pay a high premium for malpractice insurance. When a physician is sued for malpractice, the premium rises to even higher levels, whether or not the physician is determined to be at fault. Many physicians have found that they are unable to cover the expenses of malpractice insurance, especially given the constant threat of a lawsuit.