31-8-191. Legislative findings.

The General Assembly finds that a significant proportion of the residents of this state who are uninsured or Medicaid recipients are unable to access needed health care because health care providers fear the increased risk of medical negligence liability. It is the intent of the General Assembly that access to medical care for indigent residents be improved by providing governmental protection to health care providers who offer free quality medical services to underserved populations of the state. Therefore, it is the intent of the General Assembly to ensure that health care professionals who contract to provide such services as agents of the state are provided sovereign immunity.