A bill sponsored by Speaker Pro Temp Dale Folwell (R-Forsyth) that makes minor adjustments to the workers’ compensation system is headed for Governor Perdue’s desk. House Bill 237, entitled “2012 Workers’ Compensation Amendments” irons out a handful of technical wrinkles that have emerged following enactment of last year’s sweeping workers’ compensation reform bill, HB 709 – “Protect and Put North Carolina Back to Work.” True to form, Rep. Folwell built a broad coalition of support for HB 237 that included not only the NCMS and other health care groups, but also members from the business community, workers’ groups, and trial attorneys.

Provisions of HB 237 of specific interest to the NCMS include:

• A streamlined process for securing future changes to the Medical Fee Schedule.
• Clarifications around when employers may communicate with physicians about injured workers’ medical treatment.
• Creation of a new committee that will study current requirements that employers carry workers’ compensation insurance coverage and the Industrial Commission’s ability to investigate and enforce those requirements.