October 2004

CBS RPG Malpractice and CNA Insurance to lower rates in 22 states

Doctors of chiropractic in 22 states throughout the US will be able to obtain their professional liability insurance policy through Chiropractic Benefit Services (CBS RPG) Risk Purchasing Group at even lower premiums, thanks to new rates that were announced by the company in September.

The first states to enjoy the lowered rates will be New Jersey, Texas, Virginia, Connecticut, Indiana, Maryland, Maine, Montana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Tennessee. The rates for other states ‑‑ Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, South Dakota, Vermont and Wisconsin ‑‑ will be phased in over the next few months.

Timothy Feuling, president of CBS RPG emphasized that the lower premium doesn't affect the quality of the coverage offered. "Often, we've seen companies drop their rates by imposing deductibles or reducing coverage. That's not the case with CBS RPG. The rates are going down but the policies still offer the best protection available today, backed by one of the most secure underwriters in the industry."

The policies offered through CBS RPG are underwritten by CNA Casualty Insurance Company ‑‑ the country's fourth largest commercial insurance writer, the 11th largest property and casualty company and the 51st largest life insurance company ‑‑ has an AM Best 'A' rating and more than $60 billion in assets.

Among the key elements of the policy is a consent‑to‑settle clause, giving doctors the right to decide whether or not to settle a case out of court. Without this important clause, an insurance company could force the doctor to settle a case even if there was no wrongdoing on the doctor's part.

In addition, the policy offered through CBS RPG provides defense for sexual misconduct complaints, which have become one of the most common type of malpractice case brought against doctors. Many professional liability policies do not offer that coverage, leaving doctors to fight such complaints on their own.

Another important feature of the policy is $30,000 coverage for professional board dispute defense. As noted in the Sept. 2004 issue of The Chiropractic Journal, many legal experts now warn that board complaints can be worse than lawsuits, since doctors have little or no legal rights. A good attorney has become essential whenever a doctor is the subject of a board complaint, and few policies provide coverage to pay for that defense. Other coverage offered by the CBS RPG program is $10,000 in HIPPA defense.

"Just as important as the size of the premium," Feuling noted, "is the number of exclusions. Some policies are filled with exclusions, including claims filed by patients who have been sent to collections, certain pregnant women and infants, as well as employees who receive adjustments as a benefit of employment.

For many doctors, there are other less obvious reasons to obtain coverage through CBS RPG. Some choose CBS RPG because they prefer to support a company owned and run by a chiropractic family and catering exclusively to chiropractors. They also approve of CBS RPG's policy of providing substantial financial support of various organizations and efforts focusing on subluxation‑based research, political action and advocacy, and public education.

According to Joni Lorraine Siekawitch, DC, "As a new practitioner, I wanted to make sure the malpractice insurance that I purchased supported my values and philosophy, in other words, supported subluxation‑based chiropractic. The CBS RPG Malpractice Insurance Program does all of that and the service is great."

Everything in your life must be congruent with your values," agreed CBS RPG members Drs. Daniel & Richelle Knowles. "We go the extra mile in educating our practice members about the services we provide and defining the doctor patient relationship through our terms of acceptance and informed consent document. To be insured by a company that knows that by taking that step you have lowered your malpractice risk only makes common sense. If you are insured by a company that sees otherwise you are only funding your own destruction."

The other "intangible" that has won CBS RPG tremendous support through the years is its emphasis on personal service. Doctors who call CBS RPG are able to speak directly to a representative who understands chiropractic needs, often to Feuling himself.

"I am really impressed with the personal service I received as a new member," remarked Lydia Dever, DC. "And the courtesy and thoughtfulness of all the staff members in helping me pick out the right policy for me. That was really important to me as a new doctor."

CBS RPG puts an equal emphasis on education, using its online newsletters, the CBS RPG Report (www.cbsmalpractice.com/report) and free teleclasses to provide practical information to all DCs about the best way to avoid or defend against malpractice suits. "Our goal is to protect doctors by teaching them to bullet proof their practices, and giving them the best possible coverage and service," Feuling stated.

Doctors wanting more information can contact Timothy Feuling at 800‑883‑0412 or by e‑mail at feuling@cbsmalpractice.com. To obtain a free "quick quote" from CBS RPG, visit the CBS RPG website at www.cbsmalpractice.com. The website also provides additional information and advice on a variety of risk management topics. Free teleclass schedules are listed on the front page of The Chiropractic Journal each month.

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Note: this article appears online in a slightly edited form.