Amidst the angry debate on health reform in Washington, there appears to be an increasing determination on all sides to address the malpractice maelstrom that has contributed so significantly to the cost of treatment, driven good doctors out of the system, and discouraged some from seeking careers in medicine.

The Congressional Budget Office recently estimated that medical costs could be reduced by $54 billion over 10 years by placing reasonable limits on the filing of malpractice suits and the amount of damages that can be awarded.

Such limits have long been advocated by health providers, but President Obama hinted that he also favors reform during his recent address to Congress on health care.

For too long this field has been a gold mine for ambitious litigators. We've all seen their TV ads promising a rich reward for those who think they've been done wrong by their physician.

Not only have these costly suits increased the amount doctors must pay to insure themselves against malpractice claims, they also encourage the practice of "defensive medicine" - the authorization of expensive, but unnecessary, tests in an attempt to satisfy the patient that everything possible has been done to make him or her better.

These costs are ultimately reflected in the insurance premiums we pay - as well as what the government pays to cover care for the elderly and poor.

Whatever shape it takes, reform will not work without a serious effort to reduce costs. Recent moves to replace lawsuits with arbitration and limit malpractice awards, are a step in the right direction.