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Medical Malpractice Payment Reporting Requirements Webinar

The Medical Malpractice Payment Reporting Requirements Webinar was held on March 26, 2025.

Watch the recording for the Webinar exit icon (video - 50:26)

Event Materials

Q&As

  1. Are insurance companies responsible for reporting settlements in medical malpractice cases to the NPDB?
    Yes. If an insurance company makes a payment on behalf of a named or clearly identified practitioner in a medical malpractice dispute in response to a written demand for payment, then the insurance company must report that payment to the NPDB.

  2. How soon after a malpractice case is settled is an insurance company required to report the payment to the NPDB?
    An organization must submit an MMPR within 30 days after a malpractice payment is made.

  3. Should an MMPR be submitted if a practitioner pays a settlement from personal funds?
    No. You should not report payments made from a practitioner's personal funds to the NPDB. However, a professional corporation or other entity composed of a sole practitioner that makes a payment for the benefit of that named practitioner must report the payment.

  4. Would a settlement payment be subject to reporting requirements if a covered practitioner is listed in the complaint as a provider but is not specifically named as a defendant?
    If a practitioner is named, identified, or described in the body of the written complaint or claim and is not named as a defendant in the suit, the payment would be reportable if (1) the practitioner also is named, identified, or described in the settlement or final judgment and (2) a payment was made on behalf of the named, identified, or described practitioner.

  5. When a medical malpractice settlement involves multiple practitioners, could one report cover all the named practitioners?
    No. Submit a separate Medical Malpractice Payment Report to the NPDB for each practitioner named in the settlement.

  6. Is it common to see two separate payments for the same settlement if the practitioner has secondary insurance?
    Primary and excess insurers must make an indemnity payment for the benefit of a practitioner and submit a report to the NPDB. Reinsurers must make an indemnity payment directly to the primary insurer, not for the benefit of the practitioner, and therefore is not required to submit a report to the NPDB.

  7. What should we do if there is a malpractice suit from years ago that has been settled but is not appearing in the NPDB?
    If you believe that a reportable payment was not submitted to the NPDB, you should either go to the Subjects Queried page (or the Multiple-Name Query Responses page for bundled responses), select the Reporting Compliance link, and provide the information regarding the missing report or call the NPDB Customer Service Center.

  8. Should we report payments made for the benefit of a professional corporation that consists of only a sole practitioner the NPDB?
    Yes. If an insurance company makes a payment in a medical malpractice dispute in response to a written demand for payment, on behalf of a named defendant who is a sole practitioner clearly identified as a "professional corporation," then the insurance company must report that payment to the NPDB.

  9. Can a medical malpractice payment be removed from a practitioner's record, and if so, under what circumstances?
    A report is permanently stored in the NPDB unless it is corrected or voided by the reporting entity or by the NPDB as a result of the Dispute Resolution process.

  10. Are all medical malpractice payments reportable to the NPDB?
    No. Medical malpractice payments are not reportable when:
    • the payment was made by the individual practitioner out of personal funds (not a solo practitioner corporation)
    • there was a waiver of debt where no money was exchanged
    • the settlement was made on behalf of a named business or corporation with multiple practitioners
    • the practitioner was dismissed from the claim or complaint prior to the settlement or final adjudication without condition or promise of payment
    • the fact finder ruled in favor of the defendant practitioner and assigned no liability

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