News Briefs

Simple, fair and fast?

Each year, the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform commissions an independent, nonpartisan study to evaluate the legal climate in each state. In the 2007 poll, the Land of Lincoln once again languished at the bottom of the heap at #46, down one notch from last year. In spite of modest improvements to the courts in some areas of the state, changing Illinois’ litigation landscape continues to be a tough nut (or gavel?) to crack. Delaware holds the distinction of maintaining the #1 spot for best legal climate.

We’ve got you covered

Planning a lengthy vacation? Keep ISMIE’s suspended coverage option in mind. At some point in your career you may wish to take a one- to 12-month leave from your practice. Reasons may include maternity leave, illness, travel or completing a fellowship. During the time your policy is on suspended coverage, no coverage is afforded for direct patient care on your part, and your premiums are reduced to 25 percent of the standard full-time rate applicable to your specialty and maturity year. If your absence is due to illness, a letter from your treating physician will be necessary prior to reestablishing coverage for your return to active practice. For more information, please contact the Underwriting Division at uwtg@ismie.com or call 800-782-4767.

Texas two-step

In Oklahoma, upon the governor’s recent veto of a medical malpractice reform bill, a doctor has proclaimed that he will not accept any patient (except for emergency situations) who voted against lawsuit reform. According to an article in Business Insurance, the doctor stated that patients can go to Texas for their surgeries – where physicians aren’t victimized by malpractice lawyers.