Ohio Code 3929.302 – Annual claims report by medical malpractice insurers – fine – confidentiality
(A) The superintendent of insurance, by rule adopted in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code, shall require each authorized insurer, surplus lines insurer, risk retention group, self-insurer, captive insurer, the medical liability underwriting association if created under section 3929.63 of the Revised Code, and any other entity that provides medical malpractice insurance to risks located in this state, to report information to the department of insurance at least annually regarding any medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic claim asserted against a risk located in this state, if the claim resulted in any of the following results:
Terms Used In Ohio Code 3929.302
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
- Person: includes an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, and association. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Rule: includes regulation. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
- state: means the state of Ohio. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
(1) A final judgment in any amount;
(2) A settlement in any amount;
(3) A final disposition of the claim resulting in no indemnity payment on behalf of the insured.
(B) The report required by division (A) of this section shall contain such information as the superintendent prescribes by rule adopted in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code, including, but not limited to, the following information:
(1) The name, address, and specialty coverage of the insured;
(2) The insured’s policy number;
(3) The date of the occurrence that created the claim;
(4) The name and address of the injured person;
(5) The date and amount of the judgment, if any, including a description of the portion of the judgment that represents economic loss, noneconomic loss and, if applicable, punitive damages;
(6) In the case of a settlement, the date and amount of the settlement;
(7) Any allocated loss adjustment expenses;
(8) Any other information required by the superintendent pursuant to rules adopted in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code.
(C) The superintendent may prescribe the format and the manner in which the information described in division (B) of this section is reported. The superintendent may, by rule adopted in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code, prescribe the frequency that the information described in division (B) of this section is reported.
(D) The superintendent may designate one or more rating organizations licensed pursuant to section 3937.05 of the Revised Code or other agencies to assist the superintendent in gathering the information, and making compilations thereof, required by this section.
(E) There shall be no liability on the part of, and no cause of action of any nature shall arise against, any person or entity reporting under this section or its agents or employees, or the department of insurance or its employees, for any action taken that is authorized under this section.
(F) The superintendent may impose a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars against any person designated in division (A) of this section that fails to timely submit the report required under this section. Fines imposed under this section shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the department of insurance operating fund created under section 3901.021 of the Revised Code.
(G) Except as specifically provided in division (H) of this section, the information required by this section shall be confidential and privileged and is not a public record as defined in section 149.43 of the Revised Code. The information provided under this section is not subject to discovery or subpoena and shall not be made public by the superintendent or any other person.
(H) The department of insurance shall prepare an annual report that summarizes the closed claims reported under this section. The annual report shall summarize the closed claim reports on a statewide basis, and also by specialty and geographic region. Individual claims data shall not be released in the annual report. Copies of the report shall be provided to the members of the general assembly.
(I)(1) Except as specifically provided in division (I)(2) of this section, any information submitted to the department of insurance by an attorney, law firm, or legal professional association pursuant to rules promulgated by the Ohio supreme court shall be confidential and privileged and is not a public record as defined in section 149.43 of the Revised Code. The information submitted is not subject to discovery or subpoena and shall not be made public by the department of insurance or any other person.
(2) The department of insurance shall summarize the information submitted by attorneys, law firms, and legal professional associations and include the information in the annual report required by division (H) of this section. Individual claims data shall not be released in the annual report.
(J) As used in this section, medical, dental, optometric, and chiropractic claims include those claims asserted against a risk located in this state that either:
(1) Meet the definition of a “medical claim,” “dental claim,” “optometric claim,” or “chiropractic claim” under section 2305.113 of the Revised Code;
(2) Have not been asserted in any civil action, but that otherwise meet the definition of a “medical claim,” “dental claim,” “optometric claim,” or “chiropractic claim” under section 2305.113 of the Revised Code.