Ky. to Hold Med-Mal Hearing
The Kentucky Department of Insurance will conduct a public hearing on Friday, July 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Capital Plaza, 405 Wilkinson Blvd., in Frankfort to hear testimony on the availability and affordability of medical malpractice insurance in the state.
“We began researching this issue last fall after receiving calls and letters from Kentucky doctors concerned about the market,” Commissioner Janie A. Miller said. “The hearing will enable us to get feedback from all parties involved and interested in the medical malpractice insurance industry, including legislators, insurance companies, brokers and agents, providers, organizations like the Kentucky Academy of Trial Attorneys, and members of the public.”
An informal survey conducted in October 2001 by DOI showed that the market is tightening up in Kentucky, as it is across the nation. There are fewer carriers to write coverage and premiums continue to rise. The July hearing is a continuation of DOI’s efforts to determine if the market is adequately serving all geographic areas of the state and all classes of providers.
“Our ultimate goals are to strengthen the market and encourage new carriers to come to Kentucky,” Miller said. “Realizing that the Insurance Code will limit our authority in some instances, we intend to gather all of the information from the hearing and determine what options we have.”