NH: "Early Offers" Med Mal Proposal in State Senate

The New Hampshire Senate is touting an early offer approach to medical malpractice.  The proposal was designed with the input of Jeffrey O'Connell (Virginia) who conceived of the concept of early offers and has championed it for years.  The NH proposal allows the patient, not the health care provider, to initiate the early offer process.  One proponent of the bill explained:

victims of malpractice would send a notice of injury to the medical provider. The provider then has 90 days to decide to extend an early offer and can ask the patient to undergo a physical exam. The patient then has 60 days to accept or reject the early offer, and can ask for a hearing with state insurance officials if any disputes need to be resolved.

The Union Leader has the details.

--CJR