Sovereign immunity and health care: Can government be trusted?

When government provides or arranges for health care, it is held to lower l egal standards than private parties are, especially when liability is barre d by "sovereign immunity." This paper examines sovereign immunity and its i mplications for health care quality by comparing private-sector and governm ent accountability in several legal contexts. It then considers whether the law should be changed; the possible relationship between limited governmen t accountability and public mistrust of a larger government role in health care; and the potential role of disparate legal standards if a lower tier o f care evolves in government programs.