Attorneys and Staff
Melodie Krane is the Section Manager of the Health Law Section. Melodie is assisted by attorneys Walter Mosher, and Lannis Temple.
Staff are Roxann Bouldin, Joann McGill, Kathy Smith, and Robert Buckingham.
The Health Law Section provides legal advice and counsel to the UT System health institutions regarding operational, regulatory, and transactional matters. The section administers the Professional Medical Liability Benefit Plan, including the management of litigation relating to the care and treatment of patients by UT physicians.
The Health Care Quality and Risk Management office provides educational support to UT System physicians aimed at reducing their risk of involvement in accidents and allegations of medical negligence. An on-line course is required to be taken by all U.T. physicians. with additional courses available on the Health Care Quality and Risk Management website.
The Professional Medical Liability Benefit Plan has been
in existence since 1977 and is authorized by Sections 59.01 et seq.
of the Texas Education Code. The Plan currently insures 6,655 faculty
physicians, dentists, residents, and fellows. It also insures approximately
3,939 medical students. The Vice Chancellor and General Counsel of the
System is the Administrator of the Plan. Plan accounting is the responsibility of the Director
of Business and Administrative Services. The University of Texas Investment
Management Company invests the Plan's assets.
Administration
of the Plan by the Health Law Section involves legal review and investigation
of medical liability claims, negotiation of settlements for meritorious
claims, coordination of potential state liability with the Office of the
Attorney General, defense of lawsuits, and management of outside defense
counsel retained to defend claims against physicians insured by the Plan.
An independent actuarial review
of the Plan is conducted annually. External and internal claims auditors
evaluate the Plan’s loss reserving policies every other year. Plan
premiums for faculty physicians are determined on the basis of the annual
actuarial review. The OGC Health Law Section works closely with auditors
and actuaries in evaluating existing litigation and forecasting future
Plan premiums.
The Medical Advisory Committee
for the Plan meets once a year and as needed to review actuarial, financial,
and claims history reports, and recommend premium rates and coverage levels.
The General Counsel chairs the committee, which is composed of the chief
business officers and practice plan directors of each health institution,
with the Professional Liability Committee Chairs from each health institution as ex officio members.
