PROFESSIONAL ISSUES

Physicians try fresh approaches to combat liability premium hikes

Vocal participation in rate hearings is one way to work at effecting change.

By Tanya Albert, AMNews staff. Oct. 18, 2004.

When colleagues first learn that Connecticut ob-gyn Thomas J. McNamee, MD, signed on to a letter authored by the state's trial lawyers, they remark that it makes for an "odd couple," or note that politics can create "strange bedfellows."

But Dr. McNamee believes that doctors and trial lawyers -- and the two patient groups that also signed the letter -- have a common goal in this situation: reducing medical liability insurance rates.

The letter is just one example of how, after several years of being repeatedly hammered with big medical liability insurance premiums, doctors are becoming increasingly proactive -- and creative -- in their fight to temper the situation.

The July 30 letter sent to Connecticut Insurance Commissioner Susan F. Cogswell challenges the need for a nearly 90% rate increase GE Medical Protective Co. filed earlier this year.

And the letter from the unique coalition has sparked the insurance commissioner to take a closer look at the company's decision to raise rates July 1. The commissioner is hiring an outside actuary to evaluate the hike.

"They may tell us that the increase is justified, but at least we will have tried," Dr. McNamee said. "My major concern is that women are not going to have access to health care."

Dr. McNamee's action is one of several activities physicians are undertaking in hopes of stemming insurance premium increases. It comes when they are beginning to get information about what type of increases to expect on medical liability insurance premiums in coming months.

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