20
EXPLANATION - Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets
[
thus
]
in the above bill
is not enacted and is intended to be omitted in the law.
Matter underlined thus is new matter.
(3) seven public members appointed by the Governor, with the
advice and consent of the Senate, who include: one representative of the
Medical Society of New Jersey, one representative of the New Jersey
Hospital Association, one representative of the Association of Trial
Attorneys-New Jersey, one representative of the New Jersey Association
of Health Plans, one representative of a medical malpractice insurer, and
two persons who represent the interests of health care consumers.
b. Vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in
the same manner provided for the original appointments. The public
members of the task force shall serve without compensation but may be
reimbursed for traveling and other miscellaneous expenses necessary to
perform their duties, within the limits of funds made available to the task
force for its purposes.
c. (1) The task force shall organize as soon as practicable, but no
later than the 30th day after the appointment of its members, and shall
select a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among the members. The
chairperson shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the
task force.
(2) The task force may meet at the call of its chair and hold hearings
at the times and in the places it may deem appropriate and necessary to
fulfill its charge. The task force shall be entitled to call to its assistance,
and avail itself of the services of, the employees of any State, county or
municipal department, board, bureau, commission or agency as it may
require and as may be available to it for its purposes.
(3) The Department of Banking and Insurance shall provide staff
services to the task force.
d. The purpose of the task force shall be to study the following
issues:
(1) the advantages and disadvantages of establishing limitations on
non-economic damages for medical malpractice judgments and on
extending current limitations on liability that apply to nonprofit hospitals
to employees, other than physicians, of those hospitals;
(2) the impact of third party reimbursement policies by insurers and
health maintenance organizations on access to health care services in the
context of the State's current affordability crisis affecting health care
providers in the purchase necessary liability coverage;
(3) the advantages and disadvantages of adopting additional changes
to the statute of limitations regarding medical malpractice actions;
(4) the advantages and disadvantages of establishing additional
procedures for mediation of actions alleging medical malpractice and for
screening for frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits; and
(5) the necessity for, and advantages and disadvantages of,
reactivating the Medical Malpractice Reinsurance Association
established pursuant to P.L.1975, c.301 (C.17:30D-1 et seq.).
e. The task force shall present a report of its findings and
recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature no later than nine
months after the date of its initial meeting.
39. This act shall take effect on the 30th day after enactment, except
that, sections 14 and 15 shall take effect 180 days after the date of
enactment and section 19 shall take effect 90 days after the date of
enactment.
