General Assembly to Mull Firefighter Presumption, Worker-Chosen Comp Doctors

The Montana General Assembly will once again consider whether the state should streamline access to workers' compensation benefits for firefighters by creating a rebuttable presumption that certain ailments are work-related. This year's bill comes from Sen. Pat Connell, R-Hamilton, and applies to lung diseases "including, but not limited to, lung cancer." The cancer presumption applies only to firefighters who have worked for at least 10 years, while the respiratory disease presumption applies only to non-smokers. To qualify for the presumption, firefighters must have u...