PRODUCT: Professional and general liability for federally qualified community health clinics and providers
COMPANY: Atlantic Specialty and Homeland of NY
BEST RATING: A (Excellent), Class X
AVAILABILITY: Coverage is available through agents appointed by Sobel Affiliates, a Brown & Brown company.
FOCUS: In today’s rapidly changing health care environment, community health centers are critical sources of primary and preventative care—and they need tailored insurance products.
The nation’s first community health centers began operations more than 40 years ago to provide preventive and primary care services to the medically underserved. Since then, the federally supported system has grown to encompass more than 1,300 centers, and has created an affordable health care option for 25 million people.
As that number continues to grow, these centers face many new challenges, including serving a demographic that is often sicker and more at risk than the general population, as well as tackling emerging public health issues such as the Zika virus, viral hepatitis and opioid addiction.
“As community health centers have expanded their role beyond primary care to offer a full range of services—including dental, expanded mental health and pharmacy services—likewise, their risks have grown,” says Brenda Craig, president of OneBeacon Healthcare Group.
While qualified community health centers have medical malpractice protection under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), gaps abound. In response, OneBeacon Healthcare Group and Sobel Affiliates offer an insurance solution that “addresses the expanded roles—and risks—of community health centers,” Craig says. “Our solutions ‘wrap’ around the protection of the FTCA and help cover the gaps.”
UNDERWRITING: Offerings include professional liability coverage, which is now available on an occurrence basis for qualified risks; a broad definition of covered contracts and professional services, including activities while acting as a navigator, certified application counselor or in-person assister in the health insurance marketplace; privacy breach event coverage; and an enhanced coverage structure for certain employed medical practitioners. This policy is designed to be a comprehensive solution for these centers, so agents and brokers do not have to piece together coverage via endorsements.
OneBeacon Healthcare Group offers standard limits of $1 million per claim and $3 million aggregate, with separate towers of coverage available for professional liability, general liability and employee benefits liability. Additionally, an evacuation expense reimbursement sublimit, up to $50,000, is available for unplanned evacuation of patients. Sub-limits for legal and media expense reimbursement, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act proceeding reimbursement and privacy breach event reimbursement are all available up to $50,000.
The cost of the policy includes risk management resources specifically designed for community health centers.
MINIMUM PREMIUM: $12,500.
TARGET: Federally qualified community health centers that provide health care to underserved populations and uninsured patients with increasing demand driven by the Affordable Care Act.
COVERAGE TERRITORY: Coverage is available on an admitted basis in New York, Oregon, Virginia and Washington, D.C., and on a surplus-lines basis in all other U.S. states.
CONTACT: Brenda Craig, president; OneBeacon Healthcare Group, 6802 Paragon Place, Suite 210, Richmond, VA 23230; 781-332-7545.
Ronimarie Acord is an IA contributor.
