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 and licensing matters by the Texas Medical Board. Credentialing documents are available through the Health Law section.
Risk management education is aimed at reducing the risk of involvement in incidents and allegations of medical negligence. All physicians covered by the Plan are required to participate in risk management education. To accomplish this, an on-line course is available to all UT physicians. (Click on the Risk Management Education link under Additional Resources for instructions and course link.)
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 over 6,000 faculty
physicians, dentists, residents, and fellows. It also insures approximately
3,500 medical students. The Vice Chancellor and General Counsel of the
System is the Administrator of the Plan.
Administration
of the Plan by the Health Law Section involves legal review and investigation
of medical liability claims, negotiation of settlements, coordination of potential state liability with the Office of the
Attorney General, defense of lawsuits, and management of outside defense
counsel. Plan accounting is the responsibility of the UT System Office of Risk Management. The University of Texas Investment Management Company invests the Plan's assets.
An independent actuarial review
of the Plan is conducted annually. Plan
premiums for faculty physicians are determined on the basis of the annual
actuarial review. The OGC Health Law Section works closely with the actuaries in evaluating existing litigation and forecasting future
Plan premiums.
This committee
meets quarterly to review actuarial, financial,
and claims history reports, and recommend premium rates and coverage levels.
The Vice Chancellor and General Counsel chairs the committee whose membership also includes the Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and Executive Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs.
