95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HB3653

 

Introduced 2/28/2007, by Rep. Esther Golar

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act
30 ILCS 105/5.675 new

    Creates the Medical Malpractice Liability Insurance Premium Assistance Fund Act. Provides that the moneys in the Medical Malpractice Liability Insurance Premium Assistance Fund, which is created as a special find in the State treasury, shall be used by the Division of Insurance within the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to provide assistance for the payment of medical malpractice liability insurance premiums to physicians in the State who maintain their practice in low-income areas (areas or neighborhoods where a majority of the residents are at or below 300% of the federal poverty level). Sets forth conditions for physicians to receive assistance. Requires the physician to submit documentation to the Division of Insurance showing compliance with the terms of the contract. Sets out the formula to be used for calculating the amount of assistance provided. Provides that, if funding available from the Fund is insufficient, the Division of Insurance may reduce the payments to each eligible physician a pro rata amount basis to maximize the number of physicians who may receive assistance. Provides that the payment amounts and the names of physicians receiving payments shall be public record, but that certain other information used by the Division of Insurance shall not. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Medical Malpractice Liability Insurance Premium Assistance Fund.


LRB095 09959 KBJ 30171 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB3653 LRB095 09959 KBJ 30171 b

1     AN ACT concerning insurance.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Medical Malpractice Liability Insurance Premium Assistance
6 Fund Act.
 
7     Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
8     "Division of Insurance" means the Division of Insurance
9 within the Department of Financial and Professional
10 Regulation.
11     "Low-income area" means an area or neighborhood where a
12 majority of residents are at or below 300% of the federal
13 poverty level.
 
14     Section 10. Medical Malpractice Liability Insurance
15 Premium Assistance Fund
16     (a) The moneys in the Medical Malpractice Liability
17 Insurance Premium Assistance Fund, which is created as a
18 special find in the State treasury, shall be used by the
19 Division of Insurance to provides assistance for the payment of
20 medical malpractice liability insurance premiums to physicians
21 in the State who maintain their practice in low-income areas.
22     (b) The Division of Insurance must:

 

 

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1         (1) develop and make available application forms for
2     assistance under this Act;
3         (2) develop and enter into contracts with physicians as
4     provided in this Act;
5         (3) administer the Fund; and
6         (4) exercise all powers necessary to implement this
7     Act, including adopting rules.
8     (c) Any physician who is licensed and practicing in a
9 low-income area in this State may apply to the Division of
10 Insurance for assistance in paying a portion of the physician's
11 medical malpractice insurance premiums as provided in this Act.
12 Upon approval of the application for assistance, the physician
13 shall enter into a contract with the State, wherein the
14 physician shall agree to do all of the following:
15         (1) practice in the low-income area for the entire
16     period of the contract for which malpractice insurance
17     premium assistance is to be provided under this Act;
18         (2) provide medical care for the entire period of the
19     contract to Illinois residents;
20         (3) submit documentation to establish that the
21     physician has complied with the terms of the contract and
22     to determine the amount of assistance to be provided; and
23         (4) repay all funds distributed to the physician
24     pursuant to this Act, together with attorney fees and costs
25     incurred in collection, for any contract period in which
26     the physician is in breach of the contract.

 

 

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1     (d) At the times specified in the contract, but in no event
2 less than once per year, the physician must submit
3 documentation to the Division of Insurance showing compliance
4 with the terms of the contract. The Division of Insurance must
5 examine the documentation provided by the physician and
6 calculate the amount of assistance if any to be provided. The
7 amount of assistance to be provided shall be calculated by:
8         (1) determining the amount of medical malpractice
9     insurance premiums paid by the physician;
10         (2) determining the percentage of the physician's
11     practice dedicated to providing the care to persons at or
12     below 300% of the federal poverty level. This determination
13     shall be based upon the dollar amount of billings made;
14         (3) multiplying the percentage determined under
15     paragraph (2) of this subsection by the amount determined
16     under paragraph (1) of this subsection; and
17         (4) multiplying the product obtained in paragraph (3)
18     of this subsection by 50%.
19     (e) If funding available from the account is insufficient
20 to pay assistance for all physicians who apply for assistance
21 under this Act, the Division of Insurance may, at its
22 discretion, reduce the payments to pay each eligible physician
23 a pro rata amount in a manner designed to maximize the number
24 of physicians who may receive assistance under this Act.
25     (f) In addition to any other civil or criminal penalties
26 that may be imposed by law, any physician who fails or refuses

 

 

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1 to fulfill the terms of the contract required under subsection
2 (c) of this Section is in breach of the contract. The Division
3 of Insurance may obtain the assistance of the Attorney General
4 to recoup the amount of assistance provided under the contract
5 together with attorney fees and other costs of collection.
6     (g) The payment amounts and the name of a physician
7 receiving payments under this Act are a public record. Any
8 other information used by the Division of Insurance in
9 determining the amount of payment to physicians, including all
10 information submitted to the Division of Insurance by a
11 physician under this Act, that is not already a matter of
12 public record is confidential and is not a public record under
13 the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.
 
14     Section 15. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
15 Section 5.675 as follows:
 
16     (30 ILCS 105/5.675 new)
17     Sec. 5.675. The Medical Malpractice Liability Insurance
18 Premium Assistance Fund.