Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation Invites Feedback on Three-Member Panel Recommendations at 70th Workers’ Compensation Education Conference

 

The Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation (“DWC”) will meet at the upcoming 70th Workers’ Compensation Education Conference to hear from stakeholders on the recent recommendations by the Three-Member Panel relating to Florida Workers’ Compensation Law.  Areas to be explored are:

• Whether the Florida Uniform Permanent Impairment Rating Schedule warrants updating
• The applicability and necessity of treatment guidelines in Florida
• The role of the DWC in overutilization

Open to the public, the DWC’s meeting is scheduled for August 26, 2015 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Workers’ Compensation Education Conference venue (Orlando World Center Marriott, Grand Ballroom 8B, 8701 World Center Drive, Orlando, FL 32821). 

The Three-Member Panel noted in its 2015 Biennial Report that, to date, there has been no action on its recommendation that the Florida Legislature authorize an interim study on whether to retain, update, amend or replace the Florida Uniform Impairment Rating Schedule.

Similarly, the Florida Legislature has yet to take action on the Three-Member Panel’s recommendation to conduct or commission an analysis of the various types and sources of available practice guidelines to determine which are the most appropriate for Florida and how they should be developed and implemented.  The Three-Member Panel had advised giving serious consideration to repealing s. 440.13(15), F.S. and replacing it with an alternative that would effectively translate the mandates of s. 440.13(16), F.S. (Standards of Care) into meaningful treatment guidelines.

To read the Three-Member Panel’s 2015 Biennial report, click here.

During January 2015, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater reported to the Three-Member Panel on the resolution of reimbursement disputes and actions relating to health care provider violations, including determinations of whether any those providers had engaged in a pattern or practice of overutilization or violation of Florida Workers’ Compensation Law or administrative rules.  During the 2013-2014 period covered by CFO Atwater’s 2015 report, the DWC processed 11 violation referrals filed by insurers or entities acting on behalf of an insurer alleging provider overutilization of services.  Four of these referrals were carried over from previous years. 

To read the full report in which overutilization is discussed, click here.

To view the August 26 DWC meeting notice, click here.

To go to the 70th Workers’ Compensation Education Conference event page, click here.

 

Should you have any questions or comments, please contact Colodny Fass.

 

 

Click here to follow Colodny Fass on Twitter (@ColodnyFassLaw)

 

 

 

To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an e-mail to colodnyfassnews@gmail.com.