As we enter March, the month deemed as athletic training month, it seems only right to start it off by discussing a matter that would further benefit athletic trainers (ATs). H.R. 921: Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act of 2015 purposes to extend an athletic trainer’s liability insurance benefits to states outside of his or her primary licensure state.
Currently, athletic trainers’ and other sports medicine professionals’ liability insurance does not cover the individual when he or she travels with a team outside of his or her primary licensure state. This means when an AT or team physician treats an athlete across state lines, each of them are at risk of incurring great professional loss. If the above health care professionals choose to refrain from putting themselves at this risk, they then choose to neglect the athletes that they provide care for, which may still lead to professional loss.
On February 12, 2015, Congressman Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-LA) introduced this bill to the House. The Bill states:
“If a covered sports medicine professional provides covered medical services to an athlete, an athletic team, or a staff member of an athlete or athletic team in a secondary State, such services shall be deemed to have been provided in the primary State for the following purposes:
(1) Determining the medical professional liability insurance of that professional.
(2) Determining the civil and criminal malpractice liability of that professional.”
Almost all athletic trainers, whether one works at a high school, a college/university or with a professional team, will profit with the passing of this Bill. It is unacceptable that athletic trainers have to worry about his or her license when treating a patient across state lines. It is our job to protect and treat our patients. We should not be forced to take on legal risk to do our job just because the team we work with travels to other states.
#AT4ALL #NATM2015 #ATlegislation
If you want information on how to get involved, click here:
Click here to download a fact sheet
To view the Bill, click here
To sign our change.org petition, please click on here
-Kelly Brock, LAT, ATC
Currently, athletic trainers’ and other sports medicine professionals’ liability insurance does not cover the individual when he or she travels with a team outside of his or her primary licensure state. This means when an AT or team physician treats an athlete across state lines, each of them are at risk of incurring great professional loss. If the above health care professionals choose to refrain from putting themselves at this risk, they then choose to neglect the athletes that they provide care for, which may still lead to professional loss.
On February 12, 2015, Congressman Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-LA) introduced this bill to the House. The Bill states:
“If a covered sports medicine professional provides covered medical services to an athlete, an athletic team, or a staff member of an athlete or athletic team in a secondary State, such services shall be deemed to have been provided in the primary State for the following purposes:
(1) Determining the medical professional liability insurance of that professional.
(2) Determining the civil and criminal malpractice liability of that professional.”
Almost all athletic trainers, whether one works at a high school, a college/university or with a professional team, will profit with the passing of this Bill. It is unacceptable that athletic trainers have to worry about his or her license when treating a patient across state lines. It is our job to protect and treat our patients. We should not be forced to take on legal risk to do our job just because the team we work with travels to other states.
#AT4ALL #NATM2015 #ATlegislation
If you want information on how to get involved, click here:
Click here to download a fact sheet
To view the Bill, click here
To sign our change.org petition, please click on here
-Kelly Brock, LAT, ATC
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