Senate Passes Measure To Extend MCARE Program, Keep Doctors In Pennsylvania

Harrisburg -- The state Senate passed a bill this week that would extend the MCARE abatement program and help keep doctors in the Commonwealth, according to Senator Bob Robbins (R-50).

The three year-old program, which helps physicians pay a portion of their medical malpractice insurance premiums, was set to expire at the end of the month. House Bill 2041 would extend the program to December 31, 2007. The bill would also improve the administration of the program and allow nursing homes to be eligible for a 50 percent abatement of their MCARE fund payment.

"We created MCARE to avert a crisis that threatened to severely limit access to doctors in Pennsylvania. So far, the approach has had some success and we need to continue it," said Robbins.

Robbins said that from 2002 to 2004, the percentage of resident physicians who trained in Pennsylvania and then stayed in the state to practice fell from 24 percent to 8 percent. However, Pennsylvania's medical community is seeing improvements thanks to the comprehensive patient safety and tort reform provisions of Act 13 of 2002 and the MCARE abatement program.

The legislation now heads to the Governor who is expected to sign it into law.

CONTACT: Nate Silcox (717) 787-1322