S-3566.2
SENATE BILL 6226
State of Washington
65th Legislature
2018 Regular Session
By Senators Keiser, Conway, Cleveland, Kuderer, and Saldaña
Read first time 01/10/18. Referred to Committee on Labor & Commerce.
AN ACT Relating to improving health outcomes for injured workers by facilitating better access to medical records and telemedicine; and amending RCW 51.36.070.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1.  RCW 51.36.070 and 2001 c 152 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Whenever the director or the self-insurer deems it necessary in order to resolve any medical issue, a worker shall submit to examination by a physician or physicians selected by the director, with the rendition of a report to the person ordering the examination. The department or self-insurer shall provide the physician performing an examination with all relevant medical records from the worker's claim file. The director, in his or her discretion, may charge the cost of such examination or examinations to the self-insurer or to the medical aid fund as the case may be. The cost of said examination shall include payment to the worker of reasonable expenses connected therewith.
(2) The self-insured employer shall ensure that all relevant medical records of the injured worker scheduled for an independent medical exam are provided as electronic medical records to the independent medical exam physician or physicians, and, if electronic medical records are not possible, paper records must be delivered to the independent medical exam physician or physicians at least ten business days prior to the scheduled exam.
(3) The director shall develop access to telemedicine for independent medical exams and reimburse independent medical exam physicians for services in a manner that is similar to the policies developed for commercial health insurance plans under RCW 48.43.735 and medicaid managed care plans under RCW 74.09.325.
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