CWCI Seminars to Cover Recent Workers’ Comp Reforms

The California Workers’ Compensation Institute has announced it will hold a one-day seminar in November at three locations to help workers’ compensation professionals prepare for changes brought about by passage of SB 228 and AB 227, this year’s workers’ compensation reform package signed by Governor Davis.

Many of the mandates and changes under these bills take effect Jan. 1, 2004, which gives the workers’ compensation community little time to become familiar with all of the provisions and prepare for the changes. Therefore, the seminar will cover a broad range of issues, including:

*New Fee Schedules Effective Jan. 1, 2004 — details on the outpatient surgery and pharmacy schedules, revised physician fees, and changes in implantable hardware codes

*Utilization Review — development of a UR schedule, ACOEM treatment guidelines, caps on chiropractic and physical therapy visits, internal UR process requirements and penalties; second opinions on spinal surgeries; and 5814 penalty immunity in UR

*Vocational Rehabilitation — Repeal of Voc Rehab for injuries o/a Jan. 1, 2004 and the introduction of the Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit

*Administrative and Structural Changes — changes in the Primary Treating Physician (PTP) presumption, 2003 PTP reporting and regulatory revisions, elimination of the IMC, new penalties and medical lien filing fees, the shift to 100 percent user funding

*Medical Billing Changes: revised timelines, electronic billing requirements, medical billing and fraud reporting

*Loss Control: new independent review and reporting requirements for each insured’s injury and illness prevention program

In addition, because of the short timetable for implementing many of the changes, the program is designed to provide practical information to those who are responsible for administering the system and delivering benefits. Continuing education units will be available for claims administrators, attorneys, hearing reps, rehabilitation professionals and registered nurses.

The Institute will present the seminar from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco; Friday, Nov. 7 at the Irvine Marriott; and Monday, Nov. 10 at the Warner Center Marriott in Woodland Hills. The cost, including all course materials and a luncheon, is $295 for CWCI nonmembers, $195 for CWCI members, and $175 for CWCI member company employees who register three or more attendees together with a single payment postmarked or transmitted by Oct. 24. More details and registration information are available on the Institute’s Web page (www.cwci.org) or by calling Mel Long at (510) 251-9470.