A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds to the department of insurance to study the issue of medical malpractice premiums in cases in which the insured practices medicine part‑time and to develop legislative proposals and recommendations.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The Department of Insurance shall study the issue of the cost of medical malpractice insurance coverage for persons who practice medicine on a part‑time basis and shall review the current rate‑setting procedures.  The Department shall develop administrative rules or legislative recommendations and proposals that require insurers to set rates for medical malpractice insurance coverage based on the amount of time the person covered by the insurance practices medicine.  The Department shall report its recommendations and legislative proposals to the General Assembly by February 1, 2005.
SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Insurance the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for the 2004‑2005 fiscal year to review the procedures by which insurers set rates for medical malpractice insurance coverage and to develop the recommendations and proposals required by this act.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2004.