Minnesota Session Laws - 1995, Regular Session

                             CHAPTER 44-H.F.No. 226 
                  An act relating to occupations and professions; 
                  requiring reporting of certain insurance settlements 
                  to board of medical practice; amending Minnesota 
                  Statutes 1994, sections 147.111, subdivision 5; and 
                  147.161, subdivision 1. 
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 147.111, 
        subdivision 5, is amended to read: 
           Subd. 5.  [INSURERS AND OTHER ENTITIES.] (a) Four times 
        each year as prescribed by the board, each insurer authorized to 
        sell insurance described in section 60A.06, subdivision 1, 
        clause (13), and providing professional liability insurance 
        to physicians, and any medical clinic, hospital, political 
        subdivision or other entity that self-insures and provides 
        professional liability coverage to physicians persons regulated 
        by the board, shall submit to the board a report concerning 
        the physicians regulated persons against whom medical 
        professional malpractice settlements or awards have been made to 
        the plaintiff. 
           (b) A medical clinic, hospital, political subdivision, or 
        other entity which provides professional liability coverage on 
        behalf of persons regulated by the board shall submit to the 
        board a report concerning malpractice settlements or awards paid 
        on behalf of regulated persons, and any settlements or awards 
        paid by a clinic, hospital, political subdivision, or other 
        entity on its own behalf because of care rendered by regulated 
        persons.  This requirement excludes forgiveness of bills.  The 
        report shall be made to the board within 30 days of payment of 
        all or part of any settlement or award.  
           (c) The report reports in paragraphs (a) and (b) must 
        contain at least the following information:  
           (1) the total number of medical malpractice settlements or 
        awards made to the plaintiff; 
           (2) the date the medical malpractice settlements or awards 
        to the plaintiff were made; 
           (3) the allegations contained in the claim or complaint 
        leading to the settlements or awards made to the plaintiff; 
           (4) the dollar amount of each medical malpractice 
        settlement or award; 
           (5) the regular address of the practice or business of the 
        physician regulated person or entity against whom an award was 
        made or with whom a settlement was made; and 
           (6) the name of the physician regulated person or entity 
        against whom an award was made or with whom a settlement was 
        made.  
           The insurance company reporting entity shall, in addition 
        to the above information, report to the board any information it 
        possesses which tends to substantiate a charge that a 
        physician regulated person may have engaged in conduct violating 
        sections 147.01 to 147.22 a statute or rule of the board. 
           Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 147.161, 
        subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
           Subdivision 1.  [INVESTIGATION.] The board shall maintain 
        and keep current a file containing the reports and complaints 
        filed against physicians persons regulated by the board in the 
        state.  Each complaint filed with the board pursuant to section 
        214.10, subdivision 1, shall be investigated according to 
        section 214.10, subdivision 2. 
           Whenever the files maintained by the board show that a 
        medical professional malpractice settlement or award to the 
        plaintiff has been made against a physician person regulated by 
        the board as reported by insurers pursuant to section 147.111, 
        the executive director of the board shall notify the board and 
        the board may authorize a review of the physician's regulated 
        person's practice. 
           Presented to the governor April 17, 1995 
           Signed by the governor April 19, 1995, 2:15 p.m.