OHIO DOI COLLECTING MED LIABILITY DATA:

The Ohio Department of Insurance recently launched a Web-based medical liability data collection application that enables insurers and those who pay medical liability claims on behalf of health care providers to securely report to the Department their costs of defending medical liability claims, and paying judgments and settlements.
“The Ohio Department of Insurance has aggressively pursued measures to help stabilize a historically volatile medical liability insurance market,” said Ohio DOI Director Ann Womer Benjamin said. “Rate increases are much lower this year than in recent years and this new lawsuit information will provide the Department and Ohio policymakers with greater insight into the factors that impact medical liability insurance rates.”

House Bill 215, which became effective September 13, 2004, mandated that admitted and non-admitted insurers, risk retention groups, and self-insurers report “closed claims data” to the Department. The Department created the on-line application to simplify the task of reporting the data. The secure application is located on the Department’s website at www.ohioinsurance.gov, under the medical malpractice insurance link.

The Ohio Medical Malpractice Commission, chaired by Director Womer Benjamin, issued a final report in April 2005. The report suggested, among other measures, the creation of a “patient safety center” to help prevent medical errors, and the implementation of a pilot malpractice docket for medical malpractice lawsuits. The commission had previously recommended in an interim report the collection of lawsuit data effectuated by H.B. 215.

The Department joins Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Missouri as states that states that have implemented procedures to collect medical malpractice closed claims data.