Virginia Code 38.2-5004.1: Notification of possible beneficiaries
A. Each physician, hospital, and nurse midwife shall disclose in writing to their obstetrical patients, at such time or times and in such detail as the board of directors of the Program shall determine to be appropriate, whether such physician, hospital or nurse midwife is or is not a participating provider under the Program.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 38.2-5004.1
- Birth-related neurological injury: means injury to the brain or spinal cord of an infant caused by the deprivation of oxygen or mechanical injury occurring in the course of labor, delivery or resuscitation necessitated by a deprivation of oxygen or mechanical injury that occurred in the course of labor or delivery, in a hospital which renders the infant permanently motorically disabled and (i) developmentally disabled or (ii) for infants sufficiently developed to be cognitively evaluated, cognitively disabled. See Virginia Code 38.2-5001
- Company: means any association, aggregate of individuals, business, corporation, individual, joint-stock company, Lloyds type of organization, organization, partnership, receiver, reciprocal or interinsurance exchange, trustee or society. See Virginia Code 38.2-100
- in writing: include any representation of words, letters, symbols, numbers, or figures, whether (i) printed or inscribed on a tangible medium or (ii) stored in an electronic or other medium and retrievable in a perceivable form and whether an electronic signature authorized by Chapter 42. See Virginia Code 1-257
- Insurance company: means any company engaged in the business of making contracts of insurance. See Virginia Code 38.2-100
- Person: means any association, aggregate of individuals, business, company, corporation, individual, joint-stock company, Lloyds type of organization, organization, partnership, receiver, reciprocal or interinsurance exchange, trustee or society. See Virginia Code 38.2-100
- Program: means the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program established by this chapter. See Virginia Code 38.2-5001
B. In addition to any other postpartum materials provided to the mother or other appropriate person, every hospital shall provide for each infant who was hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit an informational brochure prepared or approved by the board of directors of the Program. The brochure shall describe the rights and limitations under the Program, including the Program’s exclusive remedy provision under subsection B of § 38.2-5002.
C. When a claim is made to an insurance company, as described in § 38.2-5020.1, licensed to do business in the Commonwealth of Virginia or to any self-insurer, alleging that a possible birth-related neurological injury or a severe adverse outcome related to a birth has occurred, such insurance company or self-insurer shall report such claim to the Program on a form provided by the Program. Upon receipt of such report, the Program shall inform the parent or parents or guardians of the child on whose behalf such claim has been made of the Program’s existence and eligibility requirements.
D. No liability or inference of liability or eligibility shall attach to the making of such report. The making of such report shall not be admissible in any court.