(1) The commissioner's review of the association's plan of operation and rate filings has identified a decrease in the number of claim payments and the decline in the need in this Commonwealth for the types of medical professional liability insurance policies offered by the association under Chapter 7 of the Mcare Act.¹ The review has identified a need to modernize the association in order to produce needed economical and administrative efficiencies.

(2) Ensuring the future availability of and access to quality health care is a fundamental government goal, and it is essential to the public health, safety and welfare of all residents of this Commonwealth that access to a full spectrum of hospital services and to highly trained physicians in all specialties is available.

(3) In order to accomplish the goals under paragraph (2), medical professional liability insurance must continue to be obtainable at an affordable and reasonable cost in every geographic region of this Commonwealth. Placing the association within the department will give the commissioner more oversight of expenditures and ensure better efficiencies in the operation of the association.