By SHANNON MORTLAND http://www.crainscleveland.com A California firm has purchased OHIC Insurance Co., one of Ohio’s largest medical malpractice insurers. The Doctors Co. of Napa, Calif., bought the Columbus-based physician insurer for an undisclosed amount. The Doctors Co. now insures more than 2,000 doctors and writes about $100 million in premiums in Ohio, making the state […]

By John Rodgers http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com State Rep. Rob Briley was named chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Thursday, which puts the Nashville Democrat on a direct collision course with energized Republicans in the state Senate over the issue of medical malpractice reform. The Republicans, with newly elected Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey (R-Blountville), have numerical control of […]

By Mike Colias http://www.chicagobusiness.com A Cook County judge has thrown out a request from the hospital industry to declare Illinois’ limits on payouts to victims of medical malpractice constitutional. Circuit Judge Robert Lopez Cepero on Tuesday dismissed the unusual legal maneuver by the state’s hospital lobby, which had hoped to secure a decision from the […]

JOE ROJAS-BURKE http://www.oregonlive.com For years, physician groups in Oregon and nationally have railed about a malpractice crisis said to be driving up costs and forcing doctors out of business. But a study published Wednesday suggests that malpractice damages awards have declined substantially in recent years. The consumer advocacy group Public Citizen mined the federal government’s […]

http://www.allamericanpatriots.com Despite claims by business and medical lobbying interests and the Bush administration, there is no medical malpractice lawsuit crisis in America, according to analysis released today by Public Citizen. The new report, “The Great Medical Malpractice Hoax,â€? dispels oft-repeated myths of dwindling doctors and spiraling insurance premiums used to support limits on the ability […]

http://indianapolis.dbusinessnews.com Caitlin-Morgan Insurance Services has been acquired in a private transaction sponsored by co-owner, Christopher S. Murray. Former co-founder, Stan Murray has rejoined the management team to provide additional direction and management expertise to the organization. Caitlin-Morgan is a program administrator serving associations, affinity groups and independent agents throughout the Midwest with a particular emphasis […]

BY PATRICK CROWLEY http://news.enquirer.com A statewide business group is lobbying the General Assembly to put medical malpractice, or tort, change on the statewide ballot. In a briefing Tuesday on its 2007 legislative agenda, the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce said high-priced medical malpractice insurance is driving health care costs up and doctors out of Kentucky. If […]

http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com I may be one of the few Democrats that supports malpractice reforms. But, in my view, malpractice reforms are as urgent as national health insurance. A poorly conceived malpractice system has resulted in astronomical verdicts–and those verdicts have been followed by astronomical malpractice insurance premiums. An Oregon study found that a lack of adequate […]

http://mediconews.com The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report features recent developments related to medical malpractice in four states. Summaries appear below. * Illinois: Illinois medical malpractice insurance premiums have decreased by an average of 5.2% this year and either will remain the same or drop again next year, according to ISMIE Mutual, the state’s largest malpractice […]