Latest Pennsylvania Headlines

All the headlines from our Pennsylvania Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Koken Named NAIC President; Ario Elected VP

Sep 13 2004 // Members of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) have elected a slate of three new officers in interim elections held during the 2004 NAIC Fall National Meeting. Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner...

New Laws Clarify Guaranty Fund Obligations

Sep 6 2004 // Policyholders in insurer-funded programs were concerned that they might have to pay twice—some had originally posted large amounts of collateral and were now being requested to pay again. On June 28, 2004, Pennsylvania...

Pa. Workers’ Comp Study Says Injured Workers Satisfied

Sep 2 2004 // More than 83 percent of injured workers report they are satisfied with the medical care they receive from Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation system, according to Labor and Industry Secretary Stephen M....

Pa. Looks at Motorcycle Crash and Injury Data One Year After Repealing State’s Helmet Requirement

Aug 31 2004 // Jamie Lee Hregician was paralyzed from the chest down July 5 when his motorcycle hit a stone wall. But the 19-year-old did not suffer a head injury, and for that he credits his helmet. “I have no idea what...

Suit Filed in Pa. over Interest on Unclaimed Property

Aug 20 2004 // When lawyer Ronald J. Smolow recovered stock proceeds from the state’s unclaimed-property fund, his request for $30 in interest was turned down. Now, he is pursuing a lawsuit that could eventually cost the state...

WCRI: Pennsylvania Comp Medical Costs Per Claim Continue Growth

Aug 9 2004 // The average medical payment for workers’ compensation claims in Pennsylvania rose nearly 14 percent during the most recent period studied, according to the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI). The study...

Pa. Court Approves Public Release of Information on Nonprofit Insurers’ Cash Reserves

Jul 28 2004 // A state judge has ruled that state regulators can make public much of the materials that Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania was ordered to submit to justify its large cash reserves. The ruling also lifts a temporary...

Four ACE Members Agree to $14 Million Settlement

Jul 28 2004 // After four years of litigation, and on the eve of trial, four companies in the ACE insurance group have reportedly agreed to pay $14 million to settle a national class action brought by a company in Lancaster County,...

No Jump in Arrests Under Pa. Drunk Driving Law

Jul 22 2004 // Pennsylvania’s tougher new blood-alcohol limit for motorists has had a minimal effect on the number of people being arrested for driving drunk, according to state police records. About 21,000 people were arrested for...

Rightfield Solutions Joins with Pa. Insurer in Fight Against Rising Med-Mal Claims

Jul 22 2004 // An agreement announced recently by executives with Professional Casualty Association (PCA), a provider of insurance coverage to physicians in Pennsylvania, and Rightfield Solutions LLC, developers of Emmi, Expectation...

PA. REJECTS MED-MAL CAPS:

Jul 19 2004 // The Pennsylvania Legislature declined to advance a measure that would allow limits on the dollar amount juries can award for pain and suffering in medical malpractice claims. The House voted 107-93 against an attempt to...

Harvard Studies: Flat Dollar Caps Unfair; Pa. Doctor Satisfaction Tied to Care

Jul 19 2004 // With about two-thirds of the United States facing what some experts describe as a medical malpractice crisis, a pair of studies show how liability concerns could be hurting patient care and also limiting patients’...

Professional Underwriters in Pa. Acquired by Kronenberg

Jul 15 2004 // A group of private investors led by William Kronenberg, III, has completed its acquisition of designated assets of Professional Underwriters which include name, renewal rights and other undisclosed assets. Professional...

WCRI: Pennsylvania Workers’ Comp Medical Costs Per Claim Grow at Double-Digit Rate

Jul 14 2004 // The average medical payment for workers’ compensation claims in Pennsylvania rose nearly 14 percent during the most recent period studied, according to a new study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute...

Pa. Gov. Inks Appropriation Bill

Jul 13 2004 // Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell signed the following bill into law during a day of numerous bill signings: House Bill 2527, sponsored by Rep. David Argall (R Berks/Schuylkill), makes an appropriation from the Workmen’s...

Pa. Ag Secretary Notes Crop Reporting Deadline

Jul 8 2004 // Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff reminded Pennsylvania farmers to report their acreage for spring-planted crops enrolled in the 2004 Crop Insurance Program before the July 15 deadline. “The...

Pa. Legislature Rejects Med-Mal Caps

Jul 6 2004 // The Pennsylvania Legislature declined to advance a measure that would allow limits on the dollar amount juries can award for pain and suffering in medical malpractice claims. The House voted 107-93 last Friday against an...

AIA Applauds Pa. Key Guaranty Fund Reform

Jul 6 2004 // A new law signed last week by Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell marks the successful conclusion of a multi-year effort to fix problems arising from the Reliance Insurance Company insolvency, according to the American...

PA. COLLEGE CONSORTIUM EXPANDS:

Jul 5 2004 // In Lancaster, Pa., Franklin & Marshall College President John Fry recently announced the addition of Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges to the Shared Services Consortium (SSC). The SSC, which includes charter members...

Pa. Department Names Lawthorne Deputy

Jul 1 2004 // Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Diane Koken announced the appointment of Sarah H. Lawhorne as Deputy Insurance Commissioner for the Office of Policy, Planning and Administration. Lawhorne will oversee the...