About This Task Force
Chair: Ann Geisler CPCU AU AAI
The liability committee is comprised of insurance industry leaders representing insurance companies, insurance agents, claims adjusters and midwives and physicians who are concerned with the impact of liability on achievement of the Home Birth Summit Common Ground Statements.
In addition to addressing the current system and its shortcomings, as described in the Liability Reform Common Ground Statement (shown below), some of our main aspirations for the future include:
- Ensure equity in coverage across populations that is non-discriminatory
- Reduce the threat of litigation as a driver of delivery of maternity care
Planned Initiatives
- Identify a recommended risk management course appropriate for specific specialty/practice. Programs should be developed that are appropriate for the type of practice (e.g. home, birth center, hospital) and reflect the practice standards of the licensee (e.g. MD, CNM, CM, LM, CPM, etc.).
- Establish an online forum where maternity care liability professions respond to posted questions about insurance and coverage, as a resource to the home birth professional community and summit delegates.
- Evaluate informed consent standards and processes currently in use and develop improved standards to be used as best practice guidelines.
- Increase visibility/public relations of the insurance industry and role in order to educate midwives and collaborating physicians as to the insurance options that are available.
- Write an article on the Home Birth Summit blog page re Vicarious liability, myth vs. reality. The insurance industry needs to develop a uniform philosophy and interpretation on vicarious liability to provide clarification to this situation and improved access to professional liability coverage.
- Capitalize on current structures of stakeholder organizations in place including consumer, ACOG, ACNM, MANA, NACPM and others TBD
- Campaign for vicarious liability protection, non-economic damages caps, alternate no-fault economic damage funding
- Campaign for affordable/available insurance options for home birth care providers and collaborating physicians
- Develop educational strategies aimed for consumers, providers, insurers, legal professionals, and institutional risk management teams to promote change
Vision Statement – Liability Reform
We are committed to improving the current medical liability system, which fails to justly serve society, families, and health care providers and contributes to:
- Inadequate resources to support birth injured children and mothers;
- Unsustainable healthcare and litigation costs paid by all;
- A hostile healthcare work environment;
- Inadequate access to home birth and birth center birth within an integrated health care system; and,
- Restricted choices in pregnancy and birth.
To learn more or become a member of this task force please visit:http://groupspaces.com/HomeBirthLiability/