Government
Pa. liability premium assistance program lapses
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted July 28, 2008
Pennsylvania lawmakers failed to adopt legislation extending the state's medical liability assistance program, known as the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error program, or Mcare, before they recessed for the summer on July 4. Physicians now are responsible for paying the full cost of $1 million in liability coverage, half of which previously was subsidized by Mcare.
The state Senate and House in the days before the recess adopted separate bills with provisions to continue Mcare for two years, but were unable to iron out a final measure. Gov. Ed Rendell has promised not to support an Mcare extension unless lawmakers also adopt the Pennsylvania Access to Basic Care bill, which would extend health coverage to an estimated 218,000 of the state's 767,000 uninsured adults by 2012.
The Pennsylvania Medical Society would prefer to have the Mcare reauthorization separated from coverage for the uninsured and other proposals, said its president, Peter Lund, MD. The Legislature is scheduled to reconvene in mid-September.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/07/28/gvbf0728.htm.
