03/23/2005

Associated Press

Key points in state Democratic lawmakers' medical malpractice reform proposals, which address patient safety, the insurance industry and the legal system:

_ Permanently revoking health care professionals' licenses if they commit three unrelated acts of unprofessional conduct in a 10-year period. That conduct could include prescribing drugs in a way that's a risk to the public, sexual contact with a patient or incompetence or negligence that results in severe injury or death.

_ Requiring insurers to file medical malpractice rate increases with the state Office of the Insurance Commissioner — and get them approved — before the increases go into effect.

_ Requiring insurers to report information from sealed malpractice claim settlements to the state's Office of the Insurance Commissioner. The commissioner would use the information to create reports noting trends in malpractice claims.

_ Creating a voluntary arbitration system to resolve malpractice disputes. Both parties would have to agree to the option and the maximum award to the injured party, for economic and non-economic damages, would be $1 million.