26-33-105. Medical liability compensation account.

(a) There is created a medical liability compensation account, the monies of which shall be collected by the commissioner for exclusive use for the purposes stated in this chapter. The account and any investment income from it shall be held in trust and invested and reinvested by the state treasurer pursuant to W.S. 9-4-715(a), (d) and (e).

(b) The commissioner may use account monies to purchase insurance for the account and its obligations. The commissioner shall be notified of a suit within thirty (30) days from the date the suit is filed. The commissioner may participate in a physician's defense if any claim is sufficient to be a potential liability against the account. Reasonable legal expenses the board approves and the commissioner incurs in defense against any malpractice claim are payable out of the account.

(c) To create the account, all physicians qualified under W.S. 26-33-102, practicing in Wyoming and who elect to participate, shall pay an annual surcharge. The commissioner shall determine the surcharge based upon sound actuarial principles using data obtained from Wyoming experience. The surcharge shall not exceed one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the cost to each physician for a basic fifty thousand dollar ($50,000.00) malpractice insurance premium and shall be collected on the same basis as premiums by each insurer from the physician.

(d) The surcharge is due and payable within thirty (30) days after the insurer receives the premiums for malpractice liability insurance from the practicing physician in Wyoming. The commissioner shall send to each insurer a statement explaining the provisions of this section together with any other information necessary for their compliance with this section.

(e) If the insurer collects the annual premium surcharge but does not pay it to the state within the stated time limit, the commissioner may suspend the insurer's certificate of authority until the annual premium surcharge is paid.

(f) All expenses of collecting, protecting and administering the account or related to the purchase of insurance for the account shall be paid from the account. The commissioner may employ financial, administrative or legal consultants to assist in the account management.

(g) If the account balance exceeds four million dollars ($4,000,000.00) at the end of any calendar year after payment of all claims and expenses, the commissioner shall reduce the surcharge to maintain the account at an approximate level of four million dollars ($4,000,000.00).

(h) The commissioner shall purchase reinsurance, if needed, to protect the account from depletion due to judgment against it. The reinsurance so purchased shall cover each qualified physician from two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000.00) to one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) per year. Cost of reinsurance shall be paid from the monies of the account.