More Security and Confidence With Medical Indemnity Insurance Since Reforms - AMA
AMA President, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, today welcomed the Government's report of the review of its medical indemnity reform package, saying the reforms had been successful in putting confidence back into the medical indemnity system in Australia.
The report - Achieving stability and premium affordability in the Australian medical indemnity marketplace - was prepared by the Medical Indemnity Policy Review Panel. Dr Haikerwal and AMA Federal Councillor and obstetrician, Dr Andrew Pesce, are members of the Panel, along with
Dr Haikerwal said the report is confirmation that the Government has an ongoing commitment to ensuring the community has continuing access to quality affordable medical services.
"While premiums remain high, they have certainly stabilised as a result of the Government's reforms," Dr Haikerwal said.
"There is now a more secure medical defence system with Government support providing safeguards and protection, and this cannot be tampered with.
"State tort law reform has been a significant contributor to this stability and must not be rolled back.
"Although the reforms are doing their job, we cannot afford to become complacent.
"The existing measures - including the Premium Support Scheme (PSS), the High Cost Claims Scheme (HCCS), the Exceptional Claims Scheme (ECS), and the Run-Off Cover Scheme (ROCS) - must be maintained and monitored to ensure they reflect contemporary medical practice and the costs and complexity of medical indemnity insurance.
"The Government's response to the medical indemnity crisis and the work of the Medical Indemnity Policy Review Panel are perfect examples of how the community benefits from close consultation between the Government and the medical profession," Dr Haikerwal said.