(4/22/2004) -- The Associated Press has reported today that insurance companies and other underwriters in PA reported paying less for malpractice claims against medical professionals last year.

The AP story cited annual payouts reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank. According to AP, there was a modest decline in payouts for the second year in a row -- from $424 million in 2001 to $402.8 million in 2002 to $394.5 million last year. The figures do not, however, include malpractice claims payments from hospitals.