Lawmakers Continue to Negotiate Workers' Compensation Changes

The Senate has postponed a vote on the workers’ compensation reform bill that is part of the grand bargain of 12 bills aimed at breaking a nearly two-year-old budget impasse. Both parties are continuing talks over SB 12, which proposes a Medicare-based fee schedule, restrictions on compounded drugs and the creation of a new task force to monitor medical provider profits derived from treating injured workers. Amendment 5, filed Wednesday, would require the Workers’ Compensation Commission to submit an annual report to the governor and lawmakers detailing the growth of total paid i...