SENATE BILL REPORT

EHB 157

BYRepresentatives R. King,  Wang, Cole, Patrick, Sayan, Lux, McMullen and Ballard

Eliminating department discretion in authorizing release of relevant medical information concerning industrial insurance claimants.

House Committe on Commerce & Labor

Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor

Senate Hearing Date(s):March 27, 1987

Majority Report:  Do pass.

      Signed by Senators Warnke, Chairman; Smitherman, Vice Chairman; Anderson, Lee, Sellar, Tanner, Vognild, West, Williams.

Senate Staff:Dave Cheal (786-7576)

                  March 27, 1987

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR, MARCH 27, 1987

BACKGROUND:

Under Washington industrial insurance law, any medical information that, in the opinion of the Department of Labor and Industries, is relevant to a worker's job-related injury or occupational disease may be released to the employer, claimant's representative or the department upon request.

SUMMARY:

The provision is deleted that gives the Department of Labor and Industries discretion to determine what medical information is relevant to the worker's particular injury when the information is to be released in an industrial insurance claim.  No information that is released may be used for any purpose other than the industrial insurance proceedings.

Fiscal Note:      none requested

Senate Committee - Testified: no one