A 2% tax levied on Maryland HMOs in 2005 in an attempt to reduce medical malpractice premiums in the state will soon be felt by consumers, according to a Dec. 26, 2005, article in the Washington Times. Seven HMOs, including Maryland’s largest with 366,000 members, say they will increase premiums to defray the cost of the $27 million they’ve paid to the state’s largest malpractice insurer in 2005. The malpractice insurer has increased malpractice rates 66.8% since 2003 but has not proposed an increase for 2006.
As the number of medical malpractice lawsuits filed in Pennsylvania has fallen by one-third from 2000 to 2004, some are declaring an end to the state’s malpractice crisis, which had doctors restricting their practice or leaving the state, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Reforms initiated in 2002 to stabilize the malpractice climate included a rule that limited the number of cases filed in Philadelphia, which has a reputation for delivering favorable verdicts to patients, and patient safety measures that require hospitals to report medical errors. Hospitals, however, say they continue to have trouble recruiting and retaining doctors, spending resources on recruitment that would be better used for purchasing medical equipment.
In an effort to get more medical professionals to provide charity care services, Utah State Senator Peter Knudson is proposing legislation that would protect them from medical malpractice lawsuits, as reported in the Salt Lake Tribune. Currently, Utah law shields medical workers only if they receive no compensation for their care. The proposed legislation would close a loophole by also covering those who get their expenses reimbursed.
