The general assembly finds that a critical situation exists because of the high cost and impending unavailability of medical malpractice insurance. The purposes of sections 519A.2 to 519A.13 are to assure that the public is adequately protected against losses arising out of medical malpractice by providing licensed health care providers with medical malpractice insurance through the requirement that certain liability insurance carriers write medical malpractice insurance for a period of two years upon a finding of an emergency by the commissioner of insurance that either such insurance is not available through normal channels or that it is not available on a reasonable basis because of lack of competition for such insurance, or otherwise; to establish an association to equitably spread the risks for such insurance; and to provide for recoupment of losses resulting from the operation of the association through a stabilization reserve fund contributed to by insureds, a surcharge on future liability insurance policies, or a favorable premium tax treatment.
It is the intent of this chapter to provide only an interim solution to the impending unavailability of medical malpractice insurance. It is not anticipated that this chapter will resolve the underlying causes of the unavailability and high cost which extend beyond the insurance mechanism. It is anticipated that future legislation will be required to deal on a more permanent basis with the underlying causes of the current situation.
[C77, 79, 81, § 519A.1]
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