ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
REVISED
rural physicians; study
committee
Establishes the Rural
Physician Study Committee (Committee) to review issues affecting the practice
of obstetrical medicine in rural areas.
Copper Queen Community
Hospital in Bisbee recently closed its obstetrics (OB) ward because four of the
six physicians who performed OB services ceased their OB practice due to the
increased cost and decreased availability of malpractice insurance. With this
closure, the only operative OB ward in Cochise County is in Sierra Vista. White
Mountain Regional Hospital in Springerville is also in the process of closing
its OB ward.
According to the Pima County
Medical Society, there are various causes of the shortage of physicians, but
the leading factor is the rising cost of malpractice insurance. According to
the rural health office at the University of Arizona, physicians are leaving
their practice because of rising insurance costs, which leads to hospital
departments closing and deters new physicians from coming to rural Arizona to
practice.
S.B. 1240 establishes a
study committee to review malpractice insurance issues affecting the practice
of obstetrical medicine in rural areas.
There is no cost associated
with the provisions of this bill.
1. Establishes the eight-member Committee to examine:
(a) malpractice insurance
pools and malpractice insurance premium sharing.
(b) the effects of
malpractice insurance on the practice of obstetrical medicine and hospitals and
community health centers in rural areas.
(c) any other information
related to obstetrical services in Arizona.
2. Specifies members are not eligible for compensation.
3. Allows the Committee to use legislative staff for assistance.
4. Requires the Committee to report its findings and recommendations by December 31, 2003 to the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
5. Repeals the Committee on December 31, 2003.
6. Provides for a general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Government Committee
1. Reduces the number of House and Senate Committee members to two each.
2. Specifies the physician member must practice obstetrics.
3. Adds to the Committee the Director of the rural health office or the Director's designee and a representative from a malpractice insurer.
4. Eliminates reimbursement for Committee members.
5. Changes the duties of the Committee to focus on obstetrical medicine and the effects of malpractice insurance.
Senate Action
GOV 2/11/02 DPA 5-0-1-0
HEA 2/12/02 DP 6-1-1-0
Prepared by Senate Staff
February 15, 2002