malpractice?

[whynotme?]

I am hoping that someone can help clear this up for me. Do anesthesiologists require more malpractice insurance than other physicians? If so, what other fields have increased malpractice insurance? Any ideas what the going rate is? Thanks

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[mcwmark]

Different specialties will have different rates of insurance. Anesthesiology, Neurosurgery, OBGYN, Plastic Surgery will probably have the highest rates.

In addition, the state laws governing malpractice suits will also affect malpractice premiums. In CA, where there is an upper limit to the amount of punitive damages (I think it's the punitive portion) of $500,000--rates will be lower than those of states that have no such provision (West Virginia).

For comparison:
Neurosurgery $65,000 (CA) vs. $120,000 (WV)
OBGYN $42,000 (CA) vs. $70,000 (WV)

The high malpractice premiums (which get higher if you are sued!) are driving physicians out of certain states...ironically, often where they are the most needed!

 

[whynotme?]

Thanks for the info. Do you happen to know how CRNA's deal with the issue of liability and malpractice? Just curious, as I am leaning that direction.

 

[Smoke This]

Originally posted by mcwmark:
•Different specialties will have different rates of insurance. Anesthesiology, Neurosurgery, OBGYN, Plastic Surgery will probably have the highest rates.

In addition, the state laws governing malpractice suits will also affect malpractice premiums. In CA, where there is an upper limit to the amount of punitive damages (I think it's the punitive portion) of $500,000--rates will be lower than those of states that have no such provision (West Virginia).

For comparison:
Neurosurgery $65,000 (CA) vs. $120,000 (WV)
OBGYN $42,000 (CA) vs. $70,000 (WV)

The high malpractice premiums (which get higher if you are sued!) are driving physicians out of certain states...ironically, often where they are the most needed!•

That's interesting.

Can you point me to any good internet sites to find out more about varied malpractice premiums?

 

[mcwmark]

Originally posted by whynotme?:
•Thanks for the info. Do you happen to know how CRNA's deal with the issue of liability and malpractice? Just curious, as I am leaning that direction.•

I'm sorry. I have no idea. For those CRNAs that are employed by hospitals, I would guess they don't have to deal with it at all. The hospital pays for it. As many anesthesiologists are not hospital-employed, they usually have to pay the premiums themselves.

 

[mcwmark]

Originally posted by Smoke This:
•That's interesting.

Can you point me to any good internet sites to find out more about varied malpractice premiums? •

Whoops. Looks like I posted some slightly erroneous info (from memory):

West Virginia has a $1 million dollar cap (still the most liberal) for non economic damages (but is currently being challenged in court as unconstitutional). California's cap is $250,000.

"For example, a physician in internal medicine in West Virginia paid about $12,549 for an annual premium last year. Kentucky doctors paid about $6,367 for the same professional liability coverage. The number of doctors practicing in the state has gone down 5.8% over the past six years, says the West Virginia Board of Medicine."
http://www.ama-assn.org/sci-pubs/amnews/pick_01/prl20205.htm

I can't remember exactly where I pulled the other malprac. premiums from, but try searching through Google.com. It's fantastic.

 

[whynotme?]

Once again, thanks for the info. I will do some more checking at google.
K

 

[Jamier2]

Originally posted by mcwmark:
•"For example, a physician in internal medicine in West Virginia paid about $12,549 for an annual premium last year. Kentucky doctors paid about $6,367 for the same professional liability coverage."•

Yet another reason I'm proud to be on my way to practicing in Kentucky.

 

[Smoke This]

Originally posted by mcwmark:
•Whoops. Looks like I posted some slightly erroneous info (from memory):

West Virginia has a $1 million dollar cap (still the most liberal) for non economic damages (but is currently being challenged in court as unconstitutional). California's cap is $250,000.

"For example, a physician in internal medicine in West Virginia paid about $12,549 for an annual premium last year. Kentucky doctors paid about $6,367 for the same professional liability coverage. The number of doctors practicing in the state has gone down 5.8% over the past six years, says the West Virginia Board of Medicine."
http://www.ama-assn.org/sci-pubs/amnews/pick_01/prl20205.htm

I can't remember exactly where I pulled the other malprac. premiums from, but try searching through Google.com. It's fantastic.•

Thanks, mcwmark. I'll check that out.

 

[mcwmark]

More stuff, this time from Medical Economics:

. According to Medical Liability Monitor, West Virginia's average annual malpractice premium rate for ob/gyns in 2000 was $75,155, compared with $48,406 in Ohio, $41,651 in Kentucky, $34,408 in North Carolina, $26,725 in Tennessee, and $25,945 in Virginia. The base rate for West Virginia ob/gyns with Medical Assurance policies is $92,099.

With disparities of such magnitude, West Virginia specialists are leaving, too. Consider Wheeling (pop. 31,000), in the state's northern panhandle. Only a short time ago, the city had three neurosurgeons, each of whom had been sued numerous times. One has since retired, two have relocated to other states, and recruitment efforts have failed to attract replacements. So patients with acute head trauma or spinal cord injuries must be transported to Pittsburgh, 70 miles away. Similarly, increasing numbers of orthopedic surgeons in West Virginia are refusing to perform high-risk procedures because of the liability risk.
http://me.pdr.net/me/public.htm?path=content/journals/m/data/2001/0709/wvamal.html

 

[whynotme?]

There is something very wrong with that. Why are the premiums so high in West Virginia? It definitely sounds as though there is a major problem. This suggests to me that patients who have serious conditions or complications could be put in jeopardy by the lack of physicians in the area. Keep the info coming...I am intrigued.

 

[UHS_Bound]

Malpractice insurance will continue to rise until the judgement is taken away from jurors. With OB/GYN, many awards are inflated because of sympathy.

The current debate is weather to have an advisory panel rather that a jury. This seems the most logical. Why would untrained people decide if a medical error existed. An advisory panel would eliminate the need for expert witness that often times confuse the jury.

Do you think replacing the jury would help with the growing problem of malpractice insurance?

UHS_Bound

 

[whynotme?]

It sounds great in theory,but I imagine that will be a hard sell. I can well imagine the awards in OB/GYN because I, myself get choked up when an infant dies or is born with serious complications.
Thanks for the great info...please keep me posted if you run across more.