The Federally Supported Health Centers Assistance Act of 1992: an experiment in malpractice coverage

Based on a claims experience that was extremely low and malpractice insurance rates that remained at "commercial" rates, the Congress concluded in 1992 that coverage of malpractice actions against these grantees and their health care practitioners would be more cost-effective under the Federal Tort Claims Act. This, in turn, would allow the grantees to apply the savings to providing health services to their beneficiaries. The lawmakers thereupon enacted a 3-year experiment in coverage of malpractice actions involving certain Public Health Service grantees. This article describes the background, structure, and administration of this statutory experiment.