Texas Senate Bill SB919

Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Caption

Relating to health care professional liability coverage for certain public institutions of higher education.

Impact

The bill seeks to enhance the legal protections for health care professionals at public universities, allowing them to provide care without the fear of unchecked liability. By establishing self-insurance funds, the bill facilitates a more structured approach to handle claims of malpractice. This move is expected to encourage medical education institutions to train more health care providers by mitigating the financial risks associated with potential malpractice lawsuits.

Summary

SB919 is an act that pertains to health care professional liability coverage specifically for certain public institutions of higher education in Texas. The bill aims to establish a framework for dealing with health care liability claims involving health care professionals such as physicians, nurses, and medical students working within these educational institutions. This includes provisions for creating self-insurance funds, which would be used to pay for any damages adjudged in a court or as a settlement for claims against these professionals resulting from their duties or training.

Contention

While the intention of SB919 is to promote health care education and professional services, there may be concerns regarding how it could affect the accountability of health care practitioners. Critics might argue that such coverage could lessen the incentive for adherence to high standards of care by providing a safety net that might shield negligence. Additionally, the use of public funds for malpractice claims and the establishment of these self-insurance funds could raise debates about financial responsibility and transparency within the health care system of state institutions.