FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 6428

C 259 L 04

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Concerning industrial insurance health care providers.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Commerce & Trade (originally sponsored by Senator Honeyford).

Senate Committee on Commerce & Trade

House Committee on Commerce & Labor

Background: If the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) suspends a provider's eligibility to provide services to industrially injured workers and the provider appeals the suspension order to the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals (BIIA), L&I's suspension order is stayed pending the outcome of the appeal. As a result of the stay, the provider can continue to provide workers' compensation health services.

Summary: If a provider of services related to the treatment of industrially injured workers appeals to the BIIA an order issued by L&I suspending the provider's authority to provide services, L&I may petition the BIIA for an order immediately suspending the provider's eligibility to participate as a provider of services in workers' compensation cases. The BIIA must grant the petition if there is good cause to believe the workers subject to the workers' compensation laws may suffer serious physical or mental harm if the suspension is not granted. BIIA must expedite the hearing of L&I's petition.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate       27  21

House       96   0   (House amended)

Senate       49   0   (Senate concurred)

Effective: June 10, 2004