Medical Group Hires Firm to Review Medical Malpractice Rates

Christina Cole

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The Florida Medical Association has hired a firm to review medical malpractice insurance rates that a state consumer advocate has accused as being too expensive.

The South Carolina firm, Bartlett Actuarial Group, was asked to review the finding of the consumer advocate, according to the Medical Association. "We are obviously worried about the rates," said Lisette Mariner, spokeswoman for the association.

The State Office of Insurance Regulation plans to have an informal hearing on medical malpractice insurance rates due to concerns raised by the consumer advocate. A date for the hearing is forthcoming.

Payouts in medical malpractice cases have dropped dramatically since 2003, when the Florida Legislature tried to solve Florida's medical malpractice crisis by curbing jury awards to patients for pain and suffering, but the premiums doctors pay haven't.

The consumer advocate's analysis found that premiums in Brevard County for three common specialties -- family practice, obstetrics and internal medicine -- could have received rate decreases of 28.6 percent to 50.8 percent.