New York State officials announced yesterday that a Medical Malpractice Liability Task Force has been formed to identify the causes of high medical malpractice rates and to propose solutions.
New York State Insurance Department Superintendent Eric R. Dinallo will chair the panel, and Health Commissioner Dr. Richard F. Daines will be the vice chair of the group.
Mr. Dinallo and Dr. Daines announced the following task force members, which represent various interests in the state:
o The Center for Justice and Democracy, the Center for Medical Consumers and Citizen Action of New York will represent consumers.
o The Business Council of New York State and Partnership for New York City will represent the business community.
o The Greater New York Hospital Association and the Healthcare Association of New York State will represent hospitals.
o The Medical Society of the State of New York, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the New York Chapter of American College of Surgeons, the New York State Society of Orthopedic Surgeons, the New York State Association of Licensed Midwives, the New York State Nurses Association, and Family Planning Advocates of New York State will represent physicians.
o New York Health Plan Association and New York State Conference of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans (Empire and Excellus) will represent health plans.
o Medical Liability Mutual Insurance Company, Academic Health Professionals Insurance Association, Physicians' Reciprocal Insurers, Hospitals Insurance Company, and Medical Malpractice Insurance Plan will represent medical malpractice insurers.
o The New York State Bar Association, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, and the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers will represent lawyers.
Additionally, the Assembly and Senate will select majority and minority members for the panel.
In a statement, Dr. Daines said: "Reform of the medical malpractice liability structure needs input from many sectors of society, including physicians, patients and insurers. This task force has the collective expertise to help us see beyond where we are to where we need to be."
Mr. Dinallo added: "A good malpractice system should encourage accessible, quality medical care; promote increased patient safety; treat victims of malpractice fairly; set reasonable insurance costs for health providers; and, by promoting healthy, competitive insurance suppliers, insure that victims will be paid and health providers protected. The current system fails on every one of those goals."
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