HB 627, HCA 1 -- MEDICAL MALPRACTICE INSURANCE

SPONSOR:  Schilling

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Insurance
by a vote of 17 to 0.

This bill specifies that the Department of Insurance is
responsible for enforcing the statutory requirement that
physicians and surgeons at hospitals have medical malpractice
insurance.  Current law requires doctors at hospitals in
counties with more than 75,000 people to carry at least $500,000
in medical malpractice insurance.

HCA 1 -- Gives enforcement authority to the Board of Healing
Arts instead of the Department of Insurance.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Net Cost to Insurance Dedicated Fund of
$97,838 in FY 2000, $107,871 in FY 2001, $110,604 in FY 2002.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that there has been some confusion
over which department in state government is responsible for
enforcing this law.  The bill intends to clear up this confusion.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Schilling, and
Missouri Association of Insurance Agents.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Marty Romitti, Legislative Analyst

HB 627 -- Medical Malpractice Insurance

Sponsor:  Schilling

This bill specifies that the Department of Insurance is
responsible for overseeing the statutory requirement that
physicians and surgeons at hospitals have medical malpractice
insurance.  Current law requires doctors at hospitals in
counties with more than 75,000 people to carry at least $500,000
in medical malpractice insurance.