House Resolution 50 - Reprinted

PAG LIN





  1  1                 HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 50
  1  2                       BY  PAULSEN
  1  3 A Resolution requesting the establishment of an
  1  4    interim study committee by the legislative
  1  5    council to conduct a study of issues related to the
  1  6    costs of professional liability (malpractice)
  1  7    insurance for health care providers in Iowa.
  1  8    WHEREAS, medical liability insurance covers health
  1  9 care providers and health care facilities for
  1 10 liability claims arising from the examination, care,
  1 11 and treatment of health care patients; and
  1 12    WHEREAS, the cost of medical liability insurance
  1 13 has increased, limiting access to quality health care
  1 14 in Iowa; NOW THEREFORE,
  1 15    BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
  1 16 That the legislative council is requested to establish
  1 17 a medical liability insurance interim committee.  The
  1 18 purpose of the interim committee shall be to provide
  1 19 regulatory agencies and the general assembly with
  1 20 possible solutions to alleviate problems regarding the
  1 21 availability and affordability of medical liability
  1 22 insurance in Iowa.  The interim committee may
  1 23 consider, but not be limited to considering, a broad
  1 24 range of factors affecting the availability and
  1 25 affordability of medical liability insurance in Iowa,
  1 26 including medical malpractice incidents over the past
  1 27 five years, the premium amounts charged by medical
  1 28 liability insurers, the type of damages awarded in
  1 29 medical liability actions, insurance regulatory
  1 30 requirements, and applicable federal and state law,
  2  1 including a review of chapter 519A, Iowa's medical
  2  2 malpractice insurance statute.
  2  3    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the legislative
  2  4 council shall select the members of the committee,
  2  5 which shall include three members of the house of
  2  6 representatives, two members appointed by the speaker
  2  7 of the house and one member appointed by the minority
  2  8 leader, four members from the senate, appointed by the
  2  9 co=presidents of the senate, all of whom shall be
  2 10 voting members; and representatives of medical
  2 11 liability insurers, health care professionals and
  2 12 health care facilities that purchase medical liability
  2 13 insurance, attorneys that represent plaintiffs in
  2 14 medical liability actions, attorneys that represent
  2 15 defendants in medical liability actions, and any other
  2 16 parties or experts as deemed appropriate by the
  2 17 legislative council, all of whom shall be nonvoting
  2 18 members; and
  2 19    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the interim committee
  2 20 shall submit a report to the general assembly on or
  2 21 before January 15, 2006, regarding the committee's
  2 22 findings and recommended solutions, including proposed
  2 23 legislation, to make medical liability insurance more
  2 24 available and more affordable in Iowa.
  2 25 HR 50
  2 26 rh:nh/es/25