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2005 General Session
Insurance companies that provide medical malpractice insurance in Wyoming must file an annual report that summarizes the number of insured health care providers, the number of claims that were made (including those in which no suit was filed), and all awards and settlements that were made.
SF 88 was the second attempt in two years to require insurers to report additional information in their annual report. Last year’s legislation passed the House but died on general file in the Senate without a vote.
SF 88 required insurers to report the specialty coverage of the insured, the nature and substance of the claim, the age of the claimant, and how much was paid for medical costs, economic damages, noneconomic damages and legal expenses.
Supporters of SF 88 felt that if the state had more specific data on the details of medical malpractice claims filed each year, it could lead to a better understanding of the entire issue of malpractice insurance rates and tort reform in general.
Opponents questioned the value of the additional information required by SF 88, suggesting that it might just constitute busy work for the insurers.
SF 88 unanimously passed the Senate on third reading (29-0, 1 excused), and passed the House with only one dissenting vote (56-1, 3 excused). The single NO vote in the House came from Representative Larry Meuli (R-H8, Cheyenne).