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MCARE

The Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Fund ("Mcare") was created by Act 13 of 2002 ("Mcare Act"), and signed into law on March 20, 2002. Mcare is the successor to the Medical Professional Liability Catastrophe Loss Fund, better known as the "CAT Fund" which originally was established by section 701(e) of the Health Care Services Malpractice Act, Act 111 of 1975 (40 P.S. §§ 1301.101-1301.1006), et seq. and began to accept coverage and accrue unreserved liabilities starting in calendar year 1976.

Mcare is a special fund within the State Treasury established, among other things, to ensure reasonable compensation for persons injured due to medical negligence.  Money in the fund is used to pay claims against participating healthcare providers and eligible entities for losses or damages awarded in medical professional liability actions in excess of basic insurance coverage ("primary coverage") provided by primary professional liability insurance companies ("primary carriers") or self-insurers.

At the Mcare Fund, it is our responsibility to serve citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in three key ways:

  • Claims – When patients sue a physician, hospital, or other health care provider covered by the Mcare Act, the Mcare Fund is typically involved in the claims handling process and often in any payment made to the patient.  The Mcare Fund routinely plays the role of informal mediator bringing a global perspective to cases with multiple defendants.  The Mcare Fund also provides an efficient, neutral, and broadly accepted alternative dispute platform that allows for the more efficient resolution of claims that should be settled but need a process to help this occur.
  • Compliance – The Mcare Act requires physicians, hospitals, and other health care providers, as defined by the Mcare Act, to have medical professional liability insurance.  The Mcare Fund is the state agency where evidence regarding the mandatory insurance requirement is reported.  If the Mcare Fund does not receive this information, after notifying the health care provider, the Mcare Fund has the statutory obligation to report the health care provider to the appropriate licensing board for license suspension or revocation.
  • Coverage - The Mcare Fund receives no General Fund (taxpayer) appropriations.  All funds used by the Mcare Fund come from the health care providers it serves.  Under the Mcare Act, assessments from these healthcare providers are collected each year.    For those health care providers that have medical professional liability insurance in the private market, the insurer calculates bills, collects, and remits the assessment to Mcare for each health care provider it insures.  Self-insured healthcare providers perform the same functions on their own behalf.

At the Mcare Fund, we look forward to serving you.  If there is some way we can be of assistance, please let us know.  Below is more information about the Mcare Fund and our contact information.

Reports and Studies:

Current Annual Report of Operations: 

2023 Letter​ | 2023 Report


Historical Annual Report of Operations:

2022 Letter | 2022 Report2021 Letter | 2021 Report2020 Letter 

2020 Report | 2019 Letter 2019 Report | 2018 Letter 2018 Report

2017 Letter 2017 Report | 2016 Letter | 2016 Report | 2015 Letter

2015 Report | 2014 Letter | 2014 Report

 

Capacity Studies:

20232021 | 2019 | 2017 | 2015 |  2013 | 2011 | 2007  | 2005

 

Contact information:

Telephone: (717) 783-3770

Street Address
Capitol Associates Building
901 North 7th Street 3rd Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17102 

 
Post Office Box
PO Box 12030
Harrisburg, PA 17108-2030
 
Fax Numbers
Claims:  (717) 787-0651
Mcare Management:  (717) 783-7659