Naturally, they don't want to see their income erode. And with more and more individuals in managed care, that means the doctor has to sign up with a network or more than one network. We have a major concern with that. We ask how many managed care contracts the doctor is subject to, and want to know what the contracts call for. We look to see if there are any inverse incentives that could impact on the level of care and increase potential liabilities.
Case law is all over the board concerning responsibility.
He also points out that the emphasis on outpatient care that is a significant part of most managed care arrangements also produces concern. Doctors these days don't make house calls. Are today's physicians really able to deal with the demand for outpatient care. Another concern is what impact this will have on hospitals. These changes and the liabilities they have created also have produced opportunities for growth in related professional liability lines.