STAND. COM. REP. NO.  146

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   H.B. No. 922

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 922 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL BENEFITS UNDER THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION LAW,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to allow the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations to make a decision, without a hearing, on disputes regarding treatment plans and continued medical services.

 

     Work Injury Medical Association of Hawaii supported this measure.  The ILWU Local 142 supported this measure with amendments.  Property Casualty Insurers Association of America and The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii opposed this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Requiring the consent of both parties if the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations makes a decision without a hearing regarding a proposed treatment plan or whether medical services should be continued; and

 

(2)  Adding a sunset date of June 30, 2015.


     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 922, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 922, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Public Employment,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair