First, about half of all malpractice awards go to pay present and future medical costs (e.g. for infants born with serious disabilities). Single-payer national health insurance will eliminate the need for these awards. Second, many claims arise from a lack of communication between doctor and patient (e.g. in the Emergency Department). Miscommunication/mistakes are heightened under the present system because physicians don’t have continuity with their patients (to know their prior medical history, establish therapeutic trust, etc.) and patients aren’t allowed to choose and keep the doctors and other caregivers they know and trust (due to insurance arrangements). For these and other reasons, malpractice costs in three nations with single payer are much lower than in the United States, and we would expect them to fall dramatically here.