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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2025 - 2026
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 4, 2024 03:04 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Rosemary M. Brown |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Neurological Injured Infant Fund |
| In the near future, I plan to introduce a resolution, similar to Senate Resolution 149 of 2023-24 Legislative Session, requiring the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee, to study the replication of successful programs currently in other states that provide a no-fault fund for birth injury cases to guarantee medical payments for neurological injured infants and their families. We are facing a dire situation in Pennsylvania--a shortage of obstetricians and a lack of access to maternal care, particularly in rural and underserved areas. According to a 2022 Center for Rural Pennsylvania study entitled "Access to Maternity and Obstetric Care in Rural Pennsylvania," there is projected to be no increase in the supply of obstetricians in rural practice over the next five years. Eighteen rural Pennsylvania counties are or are forecasted to be "maternity care deserts," where there are not enough providers to ensure access for all pregnant persons. The study cited policy recommendations for the Commonwealth but noted that "a cross-cutting theme across all three areas is the development of funding mechanisms that support innovative system redesign." In a survey of healthcare professionals practicing in the maternity field, "high cost of malpractice" was cited as one of the reasons for a lack of access to obstetrical care. Several states have implemented no-fault birth injury programs, which collect a portion of malpractice insurance premiums for initial startup costs and then require hospitals and physicians to pay into the fund. These proceeds pool into a resource available to those affected by birth injuries. Implementation of such a fund would reduce medical malpractice insurance payments and premiums charged to obstetricians, thereby helping to attract more obstetricians to the Commonwealth while improving access to care for expectant mothers. This program would also save money for the Commonwealth given the heavy reliance on Medicaid as medical expenses for these children would be covered by hospitals and doctors. Please join me in cosponsoring this resolution. If you have any questions regarding this resolution, please contact Christine Zubeck in my office at 717-787-6123 or czubeck@pasen.gov. Thank you for your consideration. |