US asbestos fund would quickly go broke: study

The American Legislative Exchange Council has sponsored a study that concludes the asbestos trust fund would go belly up within three years. This study assumes that more cancer sufferers would seek compensation from the fund than would normally sue. It challenges the Congressional Budget Office assumption that cancer sufferers would sue in the same proportion as those filing lawsuits currently.

I don't know how well that assumption holds water, given the ease which plaintiff's lawyers currently entertain cancer cases. However, if medical criteria laws in the states do effectively bar disputed asbestosis cases, the flood of cancer claims just might happen anyway.

Of course, the Senate could amend the trust fund bill on the floor to directly address this concern. If the Democrats blink, then it's an indication that this study just might have a point.