No. CRICO will cover new privileges issued to existing providers with CRICO coverage. Institutions are not required to notify CRICO when existing CRICO-insured clinicians assume new privileges to support the COVID-19 crisis. This includes CRICO-insured:

• Staff physicians
• Certified nurse midwives
• Fellows taking on staff level privileges
• Non-physician clinicians

In addition, we do not need to be notified of any existing residents with CRICO coverage:

1. Rotating to another department within their existing institution or another CRICO hospital to perform the same duties, or
2. Being used to provide support in other areas approved by their program leadership.

There will be no premium impact as a result of any of the above-referenced changes. If any of the newly enhanced crisis privileges are maintained following the end of the crisis, CRICO must be notified within 30 days.

We are relying on our members to ensure that any new privileges extended are appropriate based on clinicians’ education, scope of practice and training.

Existing trainees (resident/fellow) in their research rotation who DO NOT currently have physician-level coverage who are going back to training status to assist with the crisis.

• These individuals will need physician-level coverage.
• CRICO will not require an application to re-extend physician level coverage.

No notification is needed for any residents rotating to another department within their existing institution or another CRICO hospital to perform the same duties, or being used to provide support in other areas approved by their program leadership.

There will be no premium impact as a result of any of the above-referenced changes. If any of the newly enhanced crisis privileges are maintained following the end of the crisis, CRICO must be notified within 30 days.

We are relying on our members to ensure that any new privileges extended are appropriate based on clinicians’ education, scope of practice and training.

Applications are required for:

• Retired Physicians returning to clinical practice
• Physicians working in a non-clinical role returning to clinical practice
• Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) returning to clinical practice
• CNMs working in a non-clinical role returning to clinical practice
• Providers who have never been insured by CRICO
• Residents or Fellows (new) starting their program early to assist with the crisis
  It is important that these applications are sent to CRICO as we have a special process and coding for entering into the Underwriting system of record (XMAPS) to ensure that no premium is levied.

CRICO has three applications:

1) Physician application, (digital PDF)
2) Certified Midwife application (CNM PDF)
3) New Abbreviated application for retired physicians and physicians returning to clinical practice (abbreviated PDF)

Consistent with our existing process, CRICO reserves the right decline physicians/CNMs for coverage.

See the one page grid of applications for each role and the rules that accompany them.

Yes. To facilitate remote working and social distancing measures, CRICO Underwriting has developed an updated physician application, which can be completed digitally.

• All fields have been changed to be a fillable line, a dropdown, or a checkbox.
• Where required, the application can be signed digitally within Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• The application can be accessed here.

Yes. CRICO will automatically cover any non-physician clinician (with the exception of CNMs) provided an emergency license to assist with the COVID-19 crisis. Coverage will only extend to work at, or on behalf of, and at the request of, a CRICO member institution.

Physicians and CNMs are not automatically covered by CRICO.  Please review the application FAQ above for information on which application to use.

Yes. Claims arising out of telemedicine services are covered by CRICO’s Medical Professional Liability (MPL) policies. No notification or other action by organizations or clinicians is required for such coverage to extend. As with any claim, coverage of a telemedicine claim is subject to any applicable exclusions, conditions, or other terms in the MPL policies.

Yes. CRICO coverage responds to claims of medical negligence domestically and internationally^* for in person or virtual care. Physicians and other clinicians should comply with state licensure requirements as our current MPL policies have exclusions for willful violations of statutes, including state licensure laws.

In the setting of the COVID public health emergency, CRICO modified its policies effective March 10, 2020, in order to better accommodate the needs of its insureds with respect to the provision of telemedicine services across state lines. This policy change modifies the policy exclusion related to violation, or potential violation, of state licensure laws when telemedicine services are provided in response to, and/or in connection with, the crisis caused by and/or resulting from the coronavirus.

*Coverage does not apply in any circumstance for activities performed in countries or territories excluded by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

If your organization or practice group has entity-level coverage with CRICO, the entity, its CRICO-insured physicians and certified nurse midwives, and its CRICO-insured non-physician clinicians employed by the entity are covered for telemedicine activities. As with any claim, coverage of a telemedicine claim is subject to any applicable exclusions, conditions, or other terms in the MPL policies.*

*We expect that our member institutions and their offices of general counsel will ensure that their providers are properly licensed to conduct professional services wherever they are being delivered.  In addition, coverage for any non-physician clinician under the MPL Policies is limited to claims arising out of conduct within the scope of his or her employment.

This information provides only an overview of certain aspects of the Medical Professional Liability (MPL) Policies, but is not a contract. The MPL Policies are the legal documents that govern your coverage.

As explained above, in the setting of the COVID health emergency, CRICO’s policies were modified with respect to the provision of telemedicine services across state lines. This policy change modifies the policy exclusion related to violation, or potential violation, of state licensure laws when telemedicine services are provided in response to, and/or in connection with, the crisis caused by and/or resulting from the coronavirus.

Yes. CRICO’s MPL insurance policy covers medical professional services which include clinical research.

For more detailed information on the practice of virtual care and best practices, see the guide— Patient Safety Guidance for the Virtual Visit: Managing Risk in a New Care Setting produced by CRICO’s AMC PSO.

For information on telemedicine risks and steps to mitigate them, and how CRICO coverage responds, review CRICO’s Telemedicine Risk Management Briefing.

If you need further assistance, please contact Melissa Kemp, Vice President CRICO Underwriting at Melissa Kemp or 617-450-6835.