Ongoing Fight in New Hampshire Threatens Medical Malpractice Fund

side note: An ongoing fight in New Hampshire is threatening a state-created medical malpractice insurance fund. Set up in 1975 as a Joint Underwriting Association (JUA), the fund is designed to provide affordable physician liability insurance to doctors in high-risk specialties. Currently, the state government is wrangling with policyholders over the $110 million surplus in the fund. So far, the New Hampshire State Supreme Court has sided with physician-policyholders, but New Hampshire Governor John Lynch is still claiming that taxpayers have right to the money, which could help balance the state’s budget.

This is an important case for doctors and physicians to follow. It could set precedent not only in New Hampshire, but also in other states, on whether states are allowed to access medical liability insurance funds that are run through the state.

Holly Ramer
Associated Press Writer
via WBZ CBS 38

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) ? The tug-of-war over surplus money in a state-created malpractice insurance fund intensified Monday, with the insurance commissioner seeking to change the fund’s rules and the policyholders heading back to court.

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