Community Healthcare of Merrimack Valley Malpractice Program

Enrollment is now open in Maine, NH, and VT for qualified physicians.

Please contact us to see how you can get involved.

Vision

A multi-state association of independent physicians that is focused on the business of medicine. By forming a strategic alliance to negotiate with insurance carriers, the group leverages true purchasing power. The result? – A superior medical malpractice insurance program

History

To simulate the advantages of a large multi-specialty clinic, CHCMV was organized in 1992 by physicians to increase the efficiency of each practice, facilitate mutual decision-making and coordinate actions.

As New England’s premier physician run medical malpractice program, the group has developed to include over 330 physicians. Since 1992 the program has generated an extremely competitive medical malpractice insurance rate through a significant, fully funded deductible coupled with an above average claims history.

From 2003 to Present Pro Mutual Group has insured this program. This arrangement affords the physicians of the program the financial security of an “A-” (Excellent) A. M. Best rated carrier with 800 million in surplus.

The claims process is aggressively managed to help mitigate nuisance allegations and to direct a well coordinated defense from the inception of claims notification. The CHCMV physician group helps direct and monitor the medical malpractice claims services of Pro Mutual Group. The law firm of Sulloway & Hollis, recognized by its peers for excellence in medical malpractice claim defense for the past 50 years, is the counsel chosen on the majority of the New Hampshire claims.

To the best of our knowledge, the pricing and coverage has remained as the most competitive medical malpractice program in New England since inception.

Highlights for Physician Professional Liability program

• Master policy with individual (separate) physician limits of $1,000,000 each claim/$3,000,000 annual aggregate.
• Entity coverage of $1,000,000 each claim/$3,000,000 annual aggregate available.
• Use premium savings achieved from group purchasing to self-fund a deductible. It is CHCMV’s ultimate goal for the group to extend this actuarially sound fund to a structure where only excess coverage is needed for the group.
• Individual excess coverage is available for each physician practice.
• Full prior acts for all physicians.
• Ease of entry or exit for individual physician/practice.
• Consent to settle clause in Pro Mutual policy.
• Choice of defense attorney.
• Free tail provisions for retirement.
• Competitive premium financing available.
• The group discount extends to all physicians regardless of claim history

Claims Committee

• Core group of CHCMV physicians lead and control the claims process with help from insurance carrier, legal counsel and Kilbride & Harris Insurance.
• Review quarterly all incidents and open claims.
• Can be useful to participants in new member recruiting and internal self-discipline.

Risk Management Program

• Core group of CHCMV physicians to lead the risk management process with help from Pro Mutual and Kilbride & Harris Insurance.
• Driven by specific claims experience of CHCMV.
• Peers helping their peers. Fosters mutually beneficial cooperation.
• Specifically designed and implemented for CHCMV
• CME/CEU credits for education programs.
• On line risk management programs provide an additional premium savings.

Advantages/Benefits

• Local interests of physicians served well by representative board of physician peers.
• Develops a culture of self-reliance. Ownership of a good program will foster goodwill, help with recruiting, limit poor performance and control costs.
• Premium savings help each physician group attain financial goals.
• Significant premium savings used to fund a self-insured retention.
• Establishes a vehicle that will lower future insurance costs and reduce dependence on the standardized insurance marketplace.
• Taps Kilbride & Harris Insurance expertise in the healthcare marketplace.
• Other groups have used the concept of group cooperation, based upon a shared financial interest, as a stepping-stone for future collaborative projects.

Kilbride & Harris Insurance Services, LLC services provides:

• Coordination of program: Develop marketing strategy to establish and maintain viability of group.
• Act as advocate for CHCMV in all insurance matters.
• Claims management.
• Risk Management.
• Billings.
• Insurance market knowledge and advice.
• Exposure identification and coverage analysis.