Insurance Companies ARE Screwing Doctors

[ConnDem]

<http://www.ctnow.com/business/hc-malpractice0812.artaug12,0,3731152.story>
Insurer's Malpractice Premiums Challenged
90% Increase Comes Under Fire
By DIANE LEVICK
Courant Staff Writer

August 12 2004

Trial lawyers and consumer advocate groups are demanding that regulators investigate one company's "unconscionable" 90 percent rate increase for medical malpractice insurance in Connecticut.

The challenge is to Indiana-based GE Medical Protective's previously reported premium increases, which average 89.6 percent in Connecticut.

The increase, which will affect about 225 physicians here, took effect July 1 after being approved by the Connecticut Insurance Department in April.

The Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, Connecticut Healthcare For All Coalition, the advocacy group Connecticut Patients' Rights and a Waterbury OB-GYN are calling on Insurance Commissioner Susan Cogswell to re-examine the rate filing and hold a public hearing on it.

The groups have also urged the commissioner to issue a cease and desist order to stop GE Medical Protective from continuing to charge the higher rates, until a new review is completed.

The trial lawyers association said it hired New Jersey-based AIS Risk Consultants to do its own actuarial review of the GE rates, which concluded that the insurer was making very high profits in Connecticut.

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