Letters to the editor: Gaming the system

Letter to the Editor

Gaming the system

As a Florida driver paying the price for living in the No. 1 state for staged accidents, I take exception to the Feb. 1 letter, "Insurance smokescreen," by personal injury lawyer Thomas Parnell.

Rather than taking the word of one of the sources of the problem, consider the facts:

Between 2006 and 2010, state data show the number of crashes decreased in Florida.

At the same time, the number of personal injury protection (PIP) claims increased by 28 percent, and payouts increased by 45 percent.

It doesn't make sense until you realize there are very bad actors in Florida who are gaming the system.

One more falsehood: Parnell's letter asserts the insurance industry makes "a lot of money selling PIP." Florida's consumer advocate has data that shows the payouts and costs exceeded premiums earned in 2010 — and are trending worse.

Facts don't lie. The time has come for PIP reform.

Cydnee Knoth

Tampa

Handkerchief for Newt

Thank you for printing Chris Ingram's insightful column ("Shameless losers," Other Views, Feb. 8) on the Newt Gingrich/Bill McCollum debacle. I hope every one of your readers took note of the points Ingram makes, as they're right on.

After all the jabs all the candidates have thrown at each other, it's amazing that anyone is still standing beyond the eight counts.

The Republican Party of Florida's Rule 10 "winner-take-all" was unanimous, but apparently with the caveat "unless Mr. Gingrich loses."

So let's just issue a handkerchief to Newt and move on. Indeed, shameless losers.

John Osterweil

Tampa

TGH reward points?

Regarding "You may foot Lohan's bill" (front page, Feb.7): Perhaps Michael Lohan got what he deserved if he broke the law and tried to evade arrest. But am I the only one concerned about the amount of these medical bills from Tampa General Hospital?

While "the jail has a $20 million budget for inmates' medical expenses," according to the story, I can't get over two bills for $44,752 and $23,884, or $68,636 total, for an injured foot and two days' hospitalization. The photo accompanying the story doesn't even reveal a cast on his foot.

Hypothetically, if someone's child went to the ER with a similar injury from skateboarding, they would be seeking relief from "8 On Your Side" if TGH presented them with such a bill. Maybe the sheriff should do the same.

Does TGH give 5 percent back in reward points if one pays with a credit card?

Tony Kluz

Valrico