Governor Hochul reiterates proposals made in her budget bill, with additional efforts to align fee schedules with Medicare automatic updates.
Governor Hochul reiterates proposals made in her budget bill, with additional efforts to align fee schedules with Medicare automatic updates.
Employers would be required to inform workers of their right to designate their primary care provider as the physician for their workplace injury.
Injured workers could utilize this network if their employer’s network cannot provide treatment within 30 days.
Among many proposed changes, the bill would automatically allow licensed physicians, chiropractors, psychologists, and others to treat injured workers.
The bill would also allow insurers to close claims when the claimant leaves the United States – regardless of citizenship status.
Currently, public school teachers injured on the job must pay for care out-of-pocket and must request reimbursement.
If passed, massage therapists could provide care but would not be permitted to establish workplace injury causation or disability.
Provider choice would have to take into account practical matters, such as proximity and the ability to comply with workers’ comp care guidelines.
One bill would allow them to determine mental impairment, while another would let licensed clinical social workers to provide rehabilitation service.
Injured workers would be allowed to select their provider, and language allowing regulators to select new providers would be removed.
The provider shortage increased during the pandemic, but a shift to advanced practitioners saw minimal impacts to claims costs and other metrics.
If passed, employees would be required to use network pharmacies effective December 31, 2025.
If Senate Bill 109 is passed, physical therapists would have the same rights as treating physicians, letting them deliver and coordinate care.
The bill excludes persons engaging in temporary work arrangements that allows them to observe a work environment and gain experience without expectation of financial compensation.
These regulations were proposed shortly after Governor Hochul vetoed a bill with similar intent.
