News at-a-Glance

Exclusive MPLI Corporate Sponsorship of the California Medical Association

The Doctors Company is now the exclusive medical professional liability insurance (MPLI) company corporate sponsor of the California Medical Association (CMA).

CMA members are now eligible for many offerings from The Doctors Company, including competitive rates for medical malpractice insurance. The Doctors Company offers its members aggressive defense, expert patient safety tools and resources, access to its risk management programs, and a range of coverage options for physicians and advanced practice clinicians. Eligible CMA members of The Doctors Company can benefit from the Tribute® Plan, which financially rewards doctors for their loyalty and commitment to superior patient care.

CMA joins many of the most prestigious medical organizations, including the Michigan State Medical Society, the Ohio State Medical Association, and the New Mexico Medical Society, that collaborate with The Doctors Company through exclusive sponsorships, partnerships, and/or endorsements because of its physician focus, financial strength, and mission to advance, protect, and reward the practice of good medicine.

Please share the news of this noteworthy sponsorship with your California clients and prospects. It exhibits our value and dedication to serving the medical profession.

New York Governor Vetoes Wrongful Death Bill

The collective voice of New York’s healthcare providers was heard in Albany as they registered their strenuous opposition to the highly controversial and short-sided wrongful death legislation.

On December 29, 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul vetoed the proposal, due in large part to many of our members’ and your New York clients’ communication with her about the detrimental impact the proposal would have on access to healthcare.

After months of advocacy work, Governor Hochul sent a strong message that the bill introduces the potential for significant unintended consequences and that “legitimate concerns have been raised that the bill would likely lead to increased insurance premiums for the vast majority of consumers, as well as risk the financial well-being of our healthcare facilities—most notably for public hospitals that serve disadvantaged communities.”

The Doctors Company fully expects to see a similar proposal introduced this spring. Nevertheless, New York’s healthcare providers have demonstrated the power of unity and the ability to shape public discourse. We value your New York clients’ participation in the grassroots efforts that stopped this bill, and we will value their engagement in future action alerts.

New White Paper Looks Ahead to the Future of U.S. Healthcare

Through a collaborative effort by experts and leaders at TDC Group, a newly published report reveals our top 10 predictions of how the U.S. healthcare system will change over the next decade. Centered around future challenges with artificial intelligence (AI), consolidation, and social inflation, the white paper lays out some of the most pressing issues medical professionals must address as we look ahead. By offering insights and predictions, the report demonstrates the industry-leading expertise and knowledge of TDC Group experts and our commitment to helping guide medical leaders through healthcare’s evolution and assisting them in making critical decisions that shape the future of patient care.

We encourage you to read the full white paper, “What U.S. Healthcare Will Look Like in 2033,” and share this valuable, thought-provoking report with your healthcare clients.

New Dental Prospect Questionnaire for Gathering Information Required for a Quote

The Doctors Company is dedicated to improving the ease of doing business with our agents and brokers. With the recent transition to a more modernized dental quoting and application platform, we listened to feedback from agents and brokers who have requested a tool/resource for collecting the prospect data required for completing an online dental application. In response, we have created a fillable PDF Dental Prospect Questionnaire to help you gather the information necessary to input and obtain a quote for your clients. 

APC Policy Coverage Update for Midwives

TDC Group is an advocate for clinical practice that is evidence based. After extensive review and collaboration, TDC Group has decided to remove its previous declination for advanced practice clinicians (APCs) offering care involving trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) and vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) for births at accredited hospitals. Certified nurse midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) providing this form of care will be considered for medical malpractice insurance coverage if they meet the underwriting requirements.

A 25 percent schedule debit, or premium surcharge, will apply to TOLAC and VBAC policies under the following conditions:

• Must have a written collaborative agreement with a physician privileged to do C-sections.
• All TOLAC/VBAC births must be done in an accredited hospital.
• There must be immediate access to an onsite emergency response team including an MD/DO able to perform an immediate C-section.

For more details regarding underwriting requirements for midwife coverage, please contact your underwriter.

Importance of Having Your Clients Complete a Tribute Plan Beneficiary Designation Form

The Doctors Company is committed to rewarding our members—and your clients—for their loyalty and their dedication to the practice of good medicine. Members are eligible to receive their Tribute® Plan reward balances when they are age 55 or older, have retired permanently from medicine, and have five or more years of continuous coverage with The Doctors Company on the day they retire. Their award balance may also be distributed in the event they die or become permanently disabled while insured with The Doctors Company, even if age and continuous coverage requirements have not been met.

Just as we do with our life insurance and 401(k) plans, it is important to have a beneficiary designated in the event of an unexpected accident or death. When having discussions with your clients regarding the Tribute Plan, please remind them to submit a beneficiary designation form to us so that any balance that would otherwise be payable to them will be paid to their designated beneficiary(ies). If they have not submitted a beneficiary designation form, their balance in this circumstance would be paid to their estate.

As indicated on the form, your clients can either return the completed form to you or scan and email it to Tribute@thedoctors.com.

Agents and Brokers Meetings—Save the Dates

The Doctors Company will be holding two Agents and Brokers Meetings in 2024. Be sure to reserve the following dates:

• Our Virtual Agents and Brokers Meeting is open to all agents/brokers and will be held on March 19 from 10:00 AM–11:45 AM (PST), when TDC Group Chairman and CEO Richard E. Anderson, MD, FACP, and Deepika Srivastava, MBA, PMP, Chief Operating Officer, will share 2023 results and marketplace insights. In addition, Business Development Senior Vice President Laura Kline, MBA, CPCU, CIC, will speak on business development accomplishments. Regional breakout sessions will be offered from noon–1:00 PM (PST). To attend the meeting, please RSVP by Wednesday, March 13.

• Our in-person Annual Agents and Brokers Meeting will take place at the Silverado Resort in Napa, California, from September 4–6. The event will be open to Chairman’s Circle and Key Agencies. The meeting will feature insightful presentations from company executives and industry experts. Agents are given the opportunity to network with their peers and TDC Group representatives, take part in leisurely activities such as wine tasting or golf, and enjoy a high-end dining experience.

Questions about either event or qualifying criteria to become a Chairman’s Circle or Key Agency may be directed to your Business Development representative or Johana Moreno, Events Management, at (800) 421-2368, extension 1415, or jmoreno@thedoctors.com.