44-2824.

Health care provider; qualify under act; conditions.

(1) To be qualified under the Nebraska Hospital-Medical Liability Act, a health care provider or such health care provider's employer, employee, partner, or limited liability company member shall:

(a) File with the director proof of financial responsibility, pursuant to section 44-2827 or 44-2827.01, in the amount of five hundred thousand dollars for each occurrence. In the case of physicians or certified registered nurse anesthetists and their employers, employees, partners, or limited liability company members an aggregate liability amount of one million dollars for all occurrences or claims made in any policy year for each named insured shall be provided. In the case of hospitals and their employees, an aggregate liability amount of three million dollars for all occurrences or claims made in any policy year or risk-loss trust year shall be provided. Such policy may be written on either an occurrence or a claims-made basis. Any risk-loss trust shall be established and maintained only on an occurrence basis. Such qualification shall remain effective only as long as insurance coverage or risk-loss trust coverage as required remains effective; and

(b) Pay the surcharge and any special surcharge levied on all health care providers pursuant to sections 44-2829 to 44-2831.

(2) Subject to the requirements in subsections (1) and (4) of this section, the qualification of a health care provider shall be either on an occurrence or claims-made basis and shall be the same as the insurance coverage provided by the insured's policy.

(3) The director shall have authority to permit qualification of health care providers who have retired or ceased doing business if such health care providers have primary insurance coverage under subsection (1) of this section.

(4) A health care provider who is not qualified under the act at the time of the alleged occurrence giving rise to a claim shall not, for purposes of that claim, qualify under the act notwithstanding subsequent filing of proof of financial responsibility and payment of a required surcharge.

(5) Qualification of a health care provider under the Nebraska Hospital-Medical Liability Act shall continue only as long as the health care provider meets the requirements for qualification. A health care provider who has once qualified under the act and who fails to renew or continue his or her qualification in the manner provided by law and by the rules and regulations of the Department of Insurance shall cease to be qualified under the act.