- revising and using the medical liability compensation account,
                 - establishing a provider liability risk retention group, and
                 - establishing a provider owned mutual insurance company for liability insurance.
         The Senate also directed the study to evaluate the ability of Wyoming to respond quickly to establish any of the alternatives considered in HB 261 if a sudden emergency should threaten the availability of health care services to Wyoming residents.
         Supporters of HB 261 were concerned about rapidly rising medical liability insurance costs, and the affect rising insurance costs may have on the ability of physicians to maintain their medical practices in the state. They argued that the state must investigate options now instead of waiting until we have a crisis resulting from too few doctors practicing in Wyoming.
         The House passed HB 261 54-5 (one excused) and the Senate passed the bill 28-1 (one excused). The House unanimously agreed to the changes the Senate made to the bill, deleting its appropriation and adding other options to be evaluated.
         The votes listed below are Third Reading (final passage) votes in the House and Senate.
         A YES vote means the legislator supported directing the Wyoming Health Care Commission and Insurance Commissioner to conduct a feasibility study on various ways to address rising costs of medical liability insurance.
         A NO vote means the legislator did not support such a study.