Physicians leaving the state --is this what you heard Karen?

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Oct 25, 2005

And how are they paying their malpractice fees?

oramar · Oct 25, 2005

And how are they paying their malpractice fees?

He did talk about a program to address the problem of outrageous malpractice fees and unnecessary malpractice law suits. He claimed that was working also.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Oct 25, 2005

Nothing in the news about doctors leaving recently. Seeing more independent docs consolidate practices.

In verifying physicians licenses this year (requirement for Medicare) big increase in physician license disciplinary actions: 99% due to not paying MCAT fund fees over past 2-3 years.

Will ask my sources close to Harrisburg.

Judee Smudee, ADN, RN · Oct 25, 2005

Nothing in the news about doctors leaving recently. Seeing more independent docs consolidate practices.
In verifying physicians licenses this year (requirement for Medicare) big increase in physician license disciplinary actions: 99% due to not paying MCAT fund fees over past 2-3 years.
Will ask my sources close to Harrisburg.

Gov. did talk about MCAT. I am not sure what that is.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Oct 28, 2005

what's mcare you ask?

liability insurance

...the most basic challenge for Liability Insurance is keeping coverage available. state-specific factors appear to make pennsylvania's situation involving malpractice insurance among the worst in the nation. in the late 1990s, four major carriers failed, including pennsylvania's largest. other private insurers have partly filled in, but more hospitals and physicians now rely on risk-retention groups and other alternative mechanisms, as well as the state's joint underwriting association, a costly insurer of last resort. medical groups report that almost all remaining malpractice insurance providers are refusing new applicants or underwriting selectively.

the cost of available malpractice insurance coverage in pennsylvania, formerly around the national average, has moved sharply higher. part of the cost increase is due to pennsylvania's unusual catastrophic loss fund (mcare fund, formerly called cat fund), which supplements commercial coverage for health care providers. in recent years, its pay-as-you-go financing necessitated large annual assessments to cover accumulating claims from prior periods. in addition, legislative cutbacks in the extent of the fund's future obligations have induced rate increases for private insurers. rising costs of malpractice insurance also reflect national factors unrelated to the state's malpractice exposure, including a downturn in the competitive insurance cycle, reduced investment returns, and higher prices for reinsurance. but the largest cost component is state-specific - investigating, defending, and paying legal claims.

http://medliabilitypa.org/research/report0603/

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from physician's news digest, october 25, 2005 :

pa.'s mcare fund payouts will drop more than a quarter

in 2005, an improvement that gov. ed rendell said

reflects the state's response to high malpractice

insurance premiums.

payouts from the state-run mcare fund will drop to $232

million in 2005 after the fund paid out $320 million in

2004, while the amount that doctors pay into mcare will

drop by one-fourth in 2006, to 29 percent of the

premiums they pay for their primary insurance, reported

the associated press.

the number of doctors paying into mcare has remained

steady at about 34,000 - evidence gov. ed rendell said

demonstrates that health care services are still

accessible, the associated press noted.

rendell credited the improvements to changes made by

the legislature, supreme court and his administration -

noting that the state has spent $660 million to help

physicians pay their insurance premiums, that the

courts have sought to limit the number of lawsuits and

the dollar amount that can be awarded to victims, and

that out-of-court mediation has replaced lawsuits in

many cases, the associated press added.

rendell said he still supports extending the state's

$220 million annual mcare premium subsidy for doctors

for a fourth year in 2006, and that he expects the

legislature also to support the abatement extension,

based on the need to maintain momentum in "turning the

corner on the medical malpractice problem" and not

revert back to a crisis, the associated press noted.

the pennsylvania medical society noted that mcare

premiums remain far higher than five years ago, that

rate increases have slowed but are not dropping, and

that recent studies and government figures show that

overall payouts are rising, the associated press added.

associated press, october 25, 2005

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?aid=/20051025/news06/510250358

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Oct 28, 2005

physician shortage in pennsylvania?

an implicit acknowledgement of potential a physician exodus is contained in gov. ed rendell's plan for medical malpractice liability reform, ...

www.physiciansnews.com/cover/803.html - 41k - oct 26, 2005

malpractice crisis erodes access

the notion of a physician supply crisis in pa. due to rising malpractice premiums... not surprisingly, the controversy surrounding a physician exodus has ...

www.physiciansnews.com/cover/905.html

click here to read:the sky may not be falling, but doctors are disappearing

doylestown hospital experiences a 13% decline in medical staff since 2001

list of "disappearing docs" by county:

http://www.fightingdocs.com/main/disappearing_docs.html

www.medliabilitypa.org

oramar · Dec 14, 2005

I never thanked you for all the excellent links Karen. Recently I was watching something on PCN about above subject. There were hearings in Harrisburg AGAIN. It seemed as if the doctors giving testimony were not as pleased with the Governor as he is with himself.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Feb 19, 2006

mediation, communication reforms to address malpractice crisis

published by the project on medical liability in pennsylvania

last updated: 3/14/2005

a new report-from the project on medical liability in pennsylvania, an independent, nonpartisan effort supported by the pew charitable trusts-outlines procedures that could ease the state's malpractice insurance crisis while improving patient safety and benefiting relatives, doctors and hospitals. the report notes that ineffective communication is often a primary reason patients and families sue. citing extensive research, the report recommends open, meaningful communication by health professionals about medical errors and mediation to avoid costly lawsuits.

executive summary: mediation, communication reforms to address malpractice crisis

gelsemium · Feb 19, 2006

It's ironic that health care professionals are sued right and left in this country when the real cause of the declining health status of its citizens is malnourishment and exposure to various toxins. The increasing number of children born with birth defects is shocking. Yes--if you depend on fast and packaged foods for your "nourishment", you are undernourished.