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Article: TIME TO DEAL WITH THIS CRISIS.(Opinion)
- Article from:
- Albany Times Union (Albany, NY)
- Article date:
- July 23, 2009
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As Albany came to a screeching halt last month, one long-simmering issue nearly boiled over -- medical malpractice insurance costs. On July 1, a year-long moratorium on "med mal" rate hikes expired, setting the stage for potentially massive increases in premiums and a resulting loss of doctors who can no longer afford the insurance -- particularly in fields like obstetrics and neurosurgery.
An immediate crisis was averted when the Insurance Department declined to approve rate hikes, and the post-coup state Senate passed an Assembly-backed bill that would extend the moratorium for another year. Gov. David Paterson is expected to sign the extension into law.
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