BILL REQ. #:  H-0222.1 

Read first time 02/03/2003.   Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

     AN ACT Relating to requiring payment of industrial insurance benefits during reconsideration or appeal; amending RCW 51.52.050; reenacting and amending RCW 51.52.060; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 51.52.050 and 1987 c 151 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Whenever the department has made any order, decision, or award, it shall promptly serve the worker, beneficiary, employer, or other person affected thereby, with a copy thereof by mail, which shall be addressed to such person at his or her last known address as shown by the records of the department. The copy, in case the same is a final order, decision, or award, shall bear on the same side of the same page on which is found the amount of the award, a statement, set in black faced type of at least ten point body or size, that such final order, decision, or award shall become final within sixty days from the date the order is communicated to the parties unless a written request for reconsideration is filed with the department of labor and industries, Olympia, or an appeal is filed with the board of industrial insurance appeals, Olympia((: PROVIDED, That)). However, a department order or decision making demand, whether with or without penalty, for repayment of sums paid to a provider of medical, dental, vocational, or other health services rendered to an industrially injured worker, shall state that such order or decision shall become final within twenty days from the date the order or decision is communicated to the parties unless a written request for reconsideration is filed with the department of labor and industries, Olympia, or an appeal is filed with the board of industrial insurance appeals, Olympia.
     (2) Whenever the department has taken any action or made any decision relating to any phase of the administration of this title, the worker, beneficiary, employer, or other person aggrieved thereby may request reconsideration of the department((,)) or may appeal to the board. If an employer requests reconsideration of a department order in favor of an injured worker, temporary total disability compensation or medical aid benefits granted to the worker by the order under reconsideration shall continue while the reconsideration is pending, subject to the requirements of RCW 51.32.240(4).
     (3) In an appeal before the board, the appellant shall have the burden of proceeding with the evidence to establish a prima facie case for the relief sought in such appeal((: PROVIDED, That)). However, in an appeal from an order of the department that alleges fraud, the department or self-insured employer shall initially introduce all evidence in its case in chief. ((Any such)) A person aggrieved by the decision and order of the board may thereafter appeal to the superior court, as prescribed in this chapter.

Sec. 2   RCW 51.52.060 and 1995 c 253 s 1 and 1995 c 199 s 7 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1)(a) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this section, a worker, beneficiary, employer, health services provider, or other person aggrieved by an order, decision, or award of the department must, before he or she appeals to the courts, file with the board and the director, by mail or personally, within sixty days from the day on which a copy of the order, decision, or award was communicated to such person, a notice of appeal to the board. However, a health services provider or other person aggrieved by a department order or decision making demand, whether with or without penalty, solely for repayment of sums paid to a provider of medical, dental, vocational, or other health services rendered to an industrially injured worker must, before he or she appeals to the courts, file with the board and the director, by mail or personally, within twenty days from the day on which a copy of the order or decision was communicated to the health services provider upon whom the department order or decision was served, a notice of appeal to the board.
     (b) Failure to file a notice of appeal with both the board and the department shall not be grounds for denying the appeal if the notice of appeal is filed with either the board or the department.
     (2) Within ten days of the date on which an appeal has been granted by the board, the board shall notify the other interested parties to the appeal of the receipt of the appeal and shall forward a copy of the notice of appeal to the other interested parties. Within twenty days of the receipt of such notice of the board, the worker or the employer may file with the board a cross-appeal from the order of the department from which the original appeal was taken.
     (3) If within the time limited for filing a notice of appeal to the board from an order, decision, or award of the department, the department directs the submission of further evidence or the investigation of any further fact, the time for filing the notice of appeal shall not commence to run until the person has been advised in writing of the final decision of the department in the matter. In the event the department directs the submission of further evidence or the investigation of any further fact, as provided in this section, the department shall render a final order, decision, or award within ninety days from the date further submission of evidence or investigation of further fact is ordered which time period may be extended by the department for good cause stated in writing to all interested parties for an additional ninety days.
     (4) The department, either within the time limited for appeal, or within thirty days after receiving a notice of appeal, may:
     (a) Modify, reverse, or change any order, decision, or award; or
     (b)(i) Except as provided in (b)(ii) of this subsection, hold an order, decision, or award in abeyance for a period of ninety days which time period may be extended by the department for good cause stated in writing to all interested parties for an additional ninety days pending further investigation in light of the allegations of the notice of appeal; or
     (ii) Hold an order, decision, or award issued under RCW 51.32.160 in abeyance for a period not to exceed ninety days from the date of receipt of an application under RCW 51.32.160. The department may extend the ninety-day time period for an additional sixty days for good cause.
     For purposes of this subsection, good cause includes delay that results from conduct of the claimant that is subject to sanction under RCW 51.32.110.
     The board shall deny the appeal upon the issuance of an order under (b)(i) or (ii) of this subsection holding an earlier order, decision, or award in abeyance, without prejudice to the appellant's right to appeal from any subsequent determinative order issued by the department.
     This subsection (4)(b) does not apply to applications deemed granted under RCW 51.32.160.
     (5) An employer shall have the right to appeal an application deemed granted under RCW 51.32.160 on the same basis as any other application adjudicated pursuant to that section.
     (6) A provision of this section shall not be deemed to change, alter, or modify the practice or procedure of the department for the payment of awards pending appeal. However, if an employer appeals to the board a department order granting temporary total disability compensation or medical aid benefits to a worker, the worker shall be entitled to the compensation or medical aid benefits while the appeal is pending before the board, subject to the requirements of RCW 51.32.240(4).

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.