On September 5th, the Texas Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) held its first hybrid quarterly carrier meeting since the pandemic, with Healthesystems in virtual attendance.

Commissioner Nelson shared updates on the system, which includes 309 carriers and $924 million in medical payments for 2023. Legislative changes have strengthened the system, now valued at $2.9 billion, with increases in employer participation.

The upcoming January 2025 legislative session is expected to address first responder issues, extent of injury, and medical benefits, though the DWC remains neutral. Stakeholders were reminded that comments on proposed changes to Subchapter F Pharmacy Formulary rules are due by September 23rd.

The meeting also focused on the Designated Doctor (DD) program. Despite new billing and payment rules effective June 1, 2024, many carriers haven’t updated their systems, leading to payment disputes. The DWC urges prompt compliance, warning that enforcement will follow if issue persists.