Coronavirus Policy Updates
Topics:
Coverage for COVID-19 Related Claims
Will I Be Covered for Patient Claims Related to COVID-19?
Generally, yes. It is NCMIC’s intent to cover allegations of malpractice related to COVID-19. NCMIC does not plan to restrict coverage for patient claims related to the pandemic. However, the policy is subject to generally applicable terms and conditions. Ultimately, any coverage determination will be based on the specific facts and allegations of the claim.
Note: Your NCMIC policy only provides coverage for professional negligence. If you are concerned about coverage for other COVID-19 issues related to running your office, please review your other insurance coverages and contact your carrier or agent directly with any insurance questions, not related to your malpractice coverage with NCMIC.
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Telemedicine
We have received many questions with respect to telemedicine and malpractice insurance coverage. Our guidance is that based on your clinical judgment and in the interest of continuity of care, please use alternative methods such as telephone and video conferencing as available. For video conferencing, please work with the vendor to ensure the software includes encryption and HIPAA compliance.
Based on your clinical judgment, consider postponing visits of an elective or non-emergent nature if you think it is not possible to adequately evaluate the patient over telephone or video conference methods. Information on this is evolving quickly and though we have heard that licensure requirements will be relaxed to facilitate telemedicine, we do not have concrete guidance yet. For the most up-to-date guidelines, contact your state licensing board.
If you are considering providing telemedicine services, check with the health insurance carriers you are an approved provider for and confirm your services would be covered using telemedicine. Please let us know if you have any other specific questions.
See also: NCMIC's Statement on Telemedicine Support
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Webinars
The recording below addresses common questions about how Coronavirus (COVID-19) may affect your policy.
Webinars will be presented Mondays and Thursdays at 2:00 p.m. (Central time) If necessary, we may add an additional session to share breaking news. Eventually, we will reduce to one webinar per week as the dust begins to settle.
View & Register For the Webinar Series
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Additional Resources
From how to talk to patients who want to cancel appointments to a sharable flyer for your office, we’ve developed a number of resources to help you handle the impact on your practice, staff and patients
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