CCA hails bill for malpractice data reporting
http://www.chiroeco.comÂ
The Connecticut legislature has passed a bill that expands the number of medical professions that must report malpractice claims data to the state Department of Insurance.
The Connecticut Chiropractic Association (CCA) is urging Gov. M. Jodi Rell to sign the bill into law.
Consumers will benefit from the law and will be able to receive more in-depth information as to which medical professions are driving healthcare costs higher due to a large number of malpractice payments, according to Matt N. Pagano, DC, CCA president.
“We urge Gov. Rell to sign this important piece of legislation into law,â€? Pagano said. “As the data on malpractice claims and payments is collected and released to the public, I am confident it will show the chiropractic profession in a very favorable light.â€? Â
The legislation, Senate Bill 249, “An Act Concerning Medical Malpractice Data Regarding Medical Professionals,� passed unanimously in the Connecticut House. The bill initially passed in the Senate in April.
The current law requires physicians and hospitals to submit malpractice data to the state Insurance Department, which then issues a public report on the matter. Senate Bill 249 adds twelve more professions to this reporting law: Chiropractors, clinical dieticians, clinical psychologists, dentists, nurses, occupational therapists, optometrists, pharmacists, physical therapists, podiatrists, psychiatric social workers, and speech therapists.Â
Pagano said chiropractors are likely to fare well in comparison to other professions in malpractice claims and payments. The average premium for a full-coverage liability policy for chiropractors in Connecticut is $3,000 a year.
Senate Bill 249 was initially drafted to require additional malpractice data from only the chiropractic profession — an approach that was rejected by members of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee. It was supported by a group called Victims of Chiropractic Abuse (VOCA).
Sources: Connecticut Chiropractic Association, www.ctchiro.com; PRWeb, www.prweb.com
