Physician insurance rate frozen
ALBANY — Gov. David A. Paterson is freezing medical malpractice insurance rates for a year as he seeks a broader solution to high business costs that doctors claim are driving them out of New York.
The freeze heads off a scheduled surcharge due in June 2009 that could have increased some physicians’ rates by as much as 30 percent.
The New York Public Interest Research Group said the freeze shouldn’t affect patient care and that time is needed to work out the difficult problem of high rates.
Physicians claim high insurance rates are driving them out of the state and reducing the availability of care.
NYPRIG disagrees, saying there are plenty of physicians, and high rates aren’t forcing any away from New York.
On Friday, Paterson signed the bill passed earlier this week by the Legislature.
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Manhattan Democrat, said the delay will lead to greater patient safety.
“New York’s medical malpractice insurance rates are among the highest rates in the nation,” Silver said. “This legislation allows us to continue and indeed broaden our discussions towards enhancing patient safety while stabilizing the medical malpractice insurance market.”
