The Research & Analytics Department continues to evaluate data sources beyond the Data Sharing Project to provide broader insights into emerging issues affecting the medical professional liability (MPL) industry. This quarter’s highlight examines the aging U.S. population, the expanding aging services sector, and the potential implications for MPL exposure. Watch for the MPL Association’s upcoming article examining the evolving aging services sector.
Aging services extend across multiple settings, from residential care and adult day services to home health, hospice, and nursing homes, broadening the range of providers and services relevant to medical professional liability. According to CDC’s 2022 NPALS study: 805 of adult day services participants need assistance with at least one activity of daily living, 65% have two or more chronic conditions, and 34% have Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia.
Recent data point to increasing loss costs in aging services and higher indemnity payments among several older patient groups. According to CNA’s Aging Services Professional Claim Report, average total incurred cost increased 3.8% from 2021 to 2024.
Among the older age groups, average indemnity payments in the National Practitioner Data Bank were higher in 2025 than in 2021 for every age group shown. The 70s age group showed the strongest and most consistent increase: average indemnity increased 30%, from $277,399 in 2021 to $360,547 in 2025. At the same time, the number of indemnity payments involving patients in their 70s increased 32% from 911 to 1,198.
An aging population and expanding care continuum are reshaping MPL exposures.
