Oct 23 2007
Liability Insurance
I received a question from a woman who is an FNP and CNM in Oregon. She is no longer practicing as a CNM, but is opening an office as an FNP. However, she has run into a snag.
Here is what she has to say:
I have applied for insurance through NSO, Marsh and CM&F. None will cover me as long as I hold my CNM credential - even though I am NOT practicing as a nurse-midwife. I am not offering prenatal, postpartum or intrapartum care. I stopped delivering babies in 2002.
Do you have any other suggestions other than surrendering my CNM license to the state board of nursing - which is what one insurance underwriter suggested?
Having had my own issues in getting liability insurance, I can understand the frustration she is experiencing. I cannot imaging being told I would have to relinquish a license just to get insurance. We all work hard to get them, even if we are not practicing in the area anymore.
So has anyone run into this before and can anyone offer any advice to this NP?
Hi,
I finally got my corporate insurance for Healing Practice Family Practice, PC from NSO for 1500.00 a year. They did not give me any problem, and I had them as an individual self employed prior to this. However, I am not sure about the CNM license issue. I wonder if this NP is close to me geographically. If she is interested I would like to talk with her. I agree, you should not have to give up your license in a certain area, and I think as long as the policy states she is not covered as a CNM, and assumes all liability for that, the companies should be comfortable covering her for the FNP part. I will try to find out any information I can. Carla Anderson
I have submitted 1600 dollars and application for insurance coverage to an NSO agency Proliability and they kept my application and money for a month and then said that they could not insure me because I have a lab in my clinic. They did not want to take the risk because I would be reporting lab results from the CLIA waived testing that I would be performing. I told them I need to speak with their underwriter that made that decision but they have yet to call me. I do not understand what kind of clinic they would insure if they did not do lab tests? It would be a very unhealthy clinic situation if you were making decisions without lab to help evaluate for pregnancy, mono, strep etc. What do they think NPs do?
Hi Susan,
Welcome to NPBusiness.ORG
I had difficulty with NSO as well. The lab question never came up (and yes, I do perform CLIA waived tests), however, they turned me down because I share space with an Acupuncturists - even though she has her own business structure/entity, insurance, etc. The make no sense to me.
I ended up with CM&F Group without any problems at all.
It seems that NSO if fine when we are employed, but not when we decide to go out on our own.
Barbara C. Phillips, NP
Hi Susan,
I also perform Clia Waived lab tests, and did not have any problem with NSO insuring my clinic Healing Presence Family Practice, PC. I am a solo practitioner, but they know I may have staff in the future. They insured my business name, as a corporation or firm, policy. So I am wondering if they mis understood and somehow thought you were doing Clia tests, not Clia “waived” tests? It seems there is no difference from what I do and what your clinic does. I know there was a question about “would you be interpreting pathology?” Such as paps, and cytology, and I said no, because I am NOT doing that. I outsource that to Quest labs. If that is all that stands in the way of getting insurance than I would rather not do that.
I am opening my own solo provider clinic in western NC. I will provide primary healthcare for adults. My collaborating MD is a Family Practice doctor, and his malpractice insurance will not cover him in this role as a “Medical Director who is not providing direct patient care”. She equated this to a medical director of a spa where Botox injections and laser hair removal are done. I am searching now for policies that will cover him. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks. Leslie