profession
Volunteer doctors would be protected under Calif. bill
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted April 26, 2010
The California Medical Assn. is pushing for legislation that would expand medical liability protections for volunteer physicians -- a move doctors say would help address access-to-care shortages by alleviating liability fears and costs that have discouraged physician volunteerism.
California is among seven states that do not offer qualified immunity to physicians for such uncompensated care, according to a 2008 Medical Board of California report. State law generally requires physicians to purchase additional liability coverage through their insurance carriers.
The state Senate was expected to begin deliberations in late April on a bill that would offer liability coverage to physician and surgeon volunteers based on models in the medical board report that would:
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/04/26/prbf0426.htm.