The State of New Jersey
NJ Department of Banking and Insurance
search  
Home > Department Press Releases/Newsletters/Reports

News Release

New Jersey Department of
Banking and Insurance


Commissioner Steven M. Goldman

For Immediate Release:
July 23, 2007

For Further Information:
Jim Gardner (609) 292-5064


Online applications available for healthcare professionals with malpractice insurance

TRENTON – The Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) is accepting online applications for the Medical Malpractice Liability Insurance Premium Assistance Fund, a program designed to help maintain accessibility to healthcare by providing partial medical malpractice insurance premium relief to physicians in high-risk specialties.

The program is part of the New Jersey Medical Care Access and Responsibility and Patients First Act, passed by the legislature in 2004 and implemented in 2005. A component of the legislation, the subsidy fund, aims to protect access to healthcare by offering physicians in high-risk specialties the opportunity to apply for assistance in paying malpractice insurance premiums.

“Access to quality healthcare is a top priority for this Department and Governor Corzine, but that continues to be more difficult as doctors in high demand specialties continue to grapple with soaring malpractice insurance premiums,” said DOBI Commissioner Steven Goldman. “Premium relief to these specialists is one way we can help keep the doors to their practices open. Our goal going forward remains the same. New Jersey citizens must be able to find the doctors they need, when they need them.”

DOBI is now accepting applications from practitioners eligible for reimbursement from the fund. Specialties that qualify – determined in consultation with the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services – are obstetrics/gynecology (except practices limited to gynecology only), neurosurgery, and diagnostic radiology (limited to radiologists who read mammograms).

The fund is made possible through an assessment on state licensed physicians, lawyers, employers subject to the state’s unemployment compensation law, and other medical professionals, with 65 percent of the fund dedicated to premium relief. The remainder is earmarked for hospital charity care, NJ FamilyCare, and student loan reimbursement for obstetricians and gynecologists committed to practicing in the state.

Qualified physicians in an eligible specialty who make timely application can expect payments by early fall. Individual payment amounts will depend on the number of applicants and the dollar amount collected through assessments.

Applicants can file online on DOBI’s Web site at www.state.nj.us/dobi/mmlipafa/index.htm. Applications must be filed no later than August 24 by 5 p.m.
 

Medical practitioners with questions can contact DOBI at (609) 292-3100.

###

 
OPRA
OPRA is a state law that was enacted to give the public greater access to government records maintained by public agencies in New Jersey.
line
Adobe Acrobat
You will need to download the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to correctly view and print PDF (Portable Document Format) files from this web site.
state seal
Copyright © 2011, State of New Jersey
New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance