S‑0531.1 _____________________________________________
SENATE BILL 5205
_____________________________________________
State of Washington 57th Legislature 2001 Regular Session
By Senators Prentice, Winsley, Fairley and T. Sheldon
Read first time 01/16/2001. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce & Financial Institutions.
_1 AN ACT Relating to self-insurers providing information for
_2 independent medical examinations; and amending RCW 51.14.120.
_3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
_4 Sec. 1. RCW 51.14.120 and 1993 c 122 s 2 are each amended to read
_5 as follows:
_6 (1) The self-insurer shall provide, when authorized under RCW
_7 51.28.070, a copy of the employee's claim file at no cost within
_8 fifteen days of receipt of a request by the employee or the
_9 employee's representative, and shall provide a complete copy of
10 the employee's claim file to doctors performing independent
11 medical examinations. If the self-insured employer determines
12 that release of the claim file to an unrepresented worker in whole
13 or in part, may not be in the worker's best interests, the
14 employer must submit a request for denial with an explanation
15 along with a copy of that portion of the claim file not previously
16 provided within twenty days after the request from the worker. In
17 the case of second or subsequent requests, a reasonable charge for
18 copying may be made. The self-insurer shall provide the entire
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_1 contents of the claim file unless the request is for only a
_2 particular portion of the file. Any new material added to the claim
_3 file after the initial request shall be provided under the same
_4 terms and conditions as the initial request.
_5 (2) The self-insurer shall transmit notice to the department of
_6 any protest or appeal by an employee relating to the
_7 administration of an industrial injury or occupational disease
_8 claim under this chapter within five working days of receipt. The
_9 date that the protest or appeal is received by the self-insurer
10 shall be deemed to be the date the protest is received by the
11 department for the purpose of RCW 51.52.050.
12 (3) The self-insurer shall submit a medical report with the
13 request for closure of a claim under this chapter.
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SB 5205 p. 2