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?
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
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
Hi There,
I am both an FNP & CNM, and just moved to the Ashland/Medford, OR area in Southern OR. I have signed an independent contract to provide FNP services in the office of a naturopathic physician. I will be doing solely FNP work. Neither NSO or CM& F will cover me. Didn’t even get to the part of whether any lab testing will be done. CM& F stated when NSO stopped insuring the dual credentialing, they followed suit. The ACNM office has referred me to Gary McCammon in Chicago. He is a professional risk advisor. 312-444-9376, www, professionalriskadvisor.com. Email address: gary@professionalriskadvisor.com.
Left a message on his answering machine. 2 hours, no response. Web site is very undeveloped, seems to be malfunctioning. Anyone out there who is both an FNP/CNM who has had success w/ coverage?
Thanks for taking the time to respond.
Pls. cc my email @ parkerre@ateleport.com.
Good luck to you all, you courageous entrepreneurs!
Blessings, Rebecca 503-819-3712 (c)
Rebecca,
Welcome to our site. Ashland is absolutely beautiful. My niece is there in the OHSU nursing program.
I had not heard this about the dual coverage. The only other liability insurance I can think of will be Marsh – https://www.proliability.com/. The issue may be with the CNM. Have you contacted the CNM organizations?
Barbara C. Phillips, NP
http://www.NPBusiness.ORG
http://www.NPBusinessOwner.com
I am an FNP & CNM. I have just signed an independent contract w/ a naturopathic physician in Medford, OR. to deliver FNP services only. Lots of searching for malpractice insurance. I have found 2 so far 1) Professional Medical Insurance Services. Contact person is Tonya Randio 832-768-0105. Or toll free 877-583-5510. http://www.ProMedlins.com. For a 1M/3M occurance based policy w/ no previous claims, and working FT, the premium is $ 3317.00.The underwriters are Lloyd’s of London. Second one is Scanion, Guerra, Burke Ins. Brokers.
Contact person is Wanda Edwards 541-773-3191. Their quote for the same coverage was $4500.00. wedwards@sgbinsurance.com. ALSO, and this may be less expensive, is Desert Mountain Insurance 866-0467-3627, but watch for the “hammer clause”, which says if they can settle out of court they will. I am in the process of checking them out currently.
Good luck! Blessings, Rebecca Parker 503-819-3712 (c)
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for the response. Yes, I did contact the ACNM organization. Early on.
Their helpfulness ended with their solo endorsement of NSO. Yes, the issue
is with the CNM part.
One more company I found: Contemporary. Contact person is Diane Angle. $3774 w/o deliveries. With deliveries 15K for FT dual coverage, and 9,3K for PT dual CNM/FNP coverage.
I love the weather down here in Ashland. A lot sunnier than Portland. Although I miss all the tango dancing in Portland! R
Desert Mountain does not offer malpractice insurance for NPs.
With Pro Med there is a finance plan. $1016.88 down, then 10 monthly payments of $238.85. Good luck out there!
Blessings, Rebecca
I am a CNM in Georgia and don’t do deliveries anymore, contracting out as an NP to private doctor groups. My malpractice insurance is almost $7000/yr with no deliveries (through ACNM’s group). It is the only coverage I have been able to find. I would have gone back to delivering babies if I could afford the insurance-almost $30,000/yr! I also first assist on surgeries and bill the insurances. It is very frustrating, as I miss the babies.
I am a CNM who is not doing deliveries but would like to do home health assessments. This is contract work and most agencies require liability insurance. I have searched many hours on the computer and found few companies that will insure CNM’s. I did find Contemporary Insurance Services 800.658.8943. they have delivery or no delivery policies. Part time with no deliveries and minimal coverage is about $1100 a year. Almost affordable for part time work. I am very frustrated and disappointed in the barriers to practice with CNM licensing, unless I work in an institution as a CNM.
I am an FNP practicing as an Adult NP and the sole practitioner in a private practice in an established area of Columbus Ohio. I am paying over $4,000.00 for malpractice insurance for my Collaborating MD and just worry what would happen to my business if something should happen to him. It took me quite a few months to get this insurance and should anything happen to him I would need to shut down until I solidified insurance for another. Should I get another MD primed with an insurance quote just in case? I am not epecting anything to happen to my MD but who ever knows!
Luann,
Your concerns are valid. More than one NP has had to stop and shut down his/her business until another collaborator could be found to come on board. You may want to have more than one, with the second being available for back up as needed.