Legislation To Help GC Doctors Fails House, Senate Committees

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Legislation To Help GC Doctors Fails House, Senate Committees


Mar. 11, 2010

Legislation offered by both Del. Wendell R. Beitzel and Sen. George C. Edwards failed to receive approval of the House Judiciary Committee and the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committees this week. The legislation proposed to include Garrett County doctors performing obstetrical services under the classification of state employee over the next five years.
"This legislation did not increase state spending," said Beitzel. "All it sought to do was provide much needed medical liability insurance assistance for family doctors who provide obstetrical service for the women and children of Garrett County."

The family practitioners were receiving a subsidy as a result of a 2007 legislation presented by Beitzel and Edwards that was subsequently signed into law by Gov. O'Malley. The legislation provided more than $750,000 over three year, but had a sunset provision that ended the subsidy on Dec. 31, 2009.

Money for the physicians' medical malpractice insurance subsidy was provided from the Rate Stabilization Fund. Subsequent efforts to continue the subsidy by legislation introduced by both Beitzel and Edwards failed in 2009 after receiving considerable opposition by the O'Malley administration, which earlier had diverted the proceeds from the Rate Stabilization Fund for other uses.

"Garrett County is unique," Beitzel told the House Judiciary Committee. "There is no other county in the state that is in the same position that we are in. Because the next best hospital is at least 45 minutes to an hour away, this is a women's health issue."

Garrett County is Maryland's sole jurisdiction without a practicing obstetrician. The county relies on the high quality obstetrical care provided by four family practitioners and has some of the state's best birth outcome indicators, Beitzel noted.

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