H-712                _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1590

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Representative Patrick

Read first time 1/30/89 and referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

AN ACT Relating to medical services for injured workers; adding new sections to chapter 51.32 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 51.36 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 51.32 RCW to read as follows:

          In any case in which the department or self-insurer has required the worker to submit to an examination by a panel of medical providers, the maximum fee payable for such examinations shall be two hundred dollars per provider conducting the panel examination.  No provider may be eligible for participation in such medical examinations if more than five percent of that provider's income is derived from participation in medical examination panels or if the provider has not been licensed to practice in the state of Washington for at least two years.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 51.32 RCW to read as follows:

          If benefit entitlement is disputed based on a medical issue, the opinion of the worker's attending physician shall be conclusive.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 51.36 RCW to read as follows:

          The injured worker's right to choose his or her physician under RCW 51.36.010 may not be abrogated by the worker's employer or the department.