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SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL NO. 1170
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AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
C 114 L 88
State of Washington 50th Legislature 1988 Regular Session
By House Committee on Commerce & Labor (originally sponsored by Representative Patrick)
Read first time 2/5/88 and referred to Committee on Ways & Means.
AN ACT Relating to medical examinations on behalf of the department of labor and industries; adding new sections to chapter 51.32 RCW; creating a new section; making an appropriation; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. It is the intent of the legislature that medical examinations for determining permanent disabilities be conducted fairly and objectively by qualified examiners and with respect for the dignity of the injured worker.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The department shall develop standards for the conduct of special medical examinations to determine permanent disabilities, including, but not limited to:
(a) The qualifications of persons conducting the examinations;
(b) The criteria for conducting the examinations, including guidelines for the appropriate treatment of injured workers during the examination; and
(c) The content of examination reports.
(2) The department shall investigate the amount of examination fees received by persons conducting special medical examinations to determine permanent disabilities, including total compensation received for examinations of department and self- insured claimants, and establish compensation guidelines and compensation reporting criteria.
(3) The department shall investigate the level of compliance of self-insurers with the requirement of full reporting of claims information to the department, particularly with respect to medical examinations, and develop effective enforcement procedures or recommendations for legislation if needed.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The department shall examine the credentials of persons conducting special medical examinations and shall monitor the quality and objectivity of examinations and reports for the department and self-insured claimants. The department shall adopt rules to ensure that examinations are performed only by qualified persons meeting department standards.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The department shall report periodically, no less than annually, to the committee on economic development and labor of the senate and the committee on commerce and labor of the house of representatives, or the appropriate successor committees, on the program established to fulfill the requirements of sections 2 and 3 of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The department shall study the role of the attending physician in assuring an injured worker's return to work at the earliest time consistent with good medical care, and the effect of changing the attending physician when return to work does not occur expeditiously. The department shall report the results of its study to the appropriate committees of the legislature no later than December 1, 1988.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The sum of one hundred thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the medical aid fund to the department of labor and industries for the biennium ending June 30, 1989, to carry out the purposes of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Sections 1 through 4 of this act are each added to chapter 51.32 RCW.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.