Proposal Would Eliminate Experience Requirement for Ombudsmen

The Texas Office of Injured Employee Counsel will ask lawmakers who convene next month to eliminate the requirement that ombudsmen have at least one year of experience in workers’ compensation. OIEC also will ask the 85th biennial Legislature to modify Texas Labor Code §408.027 and allow injured workers, their representatives or the OIEC to request causation letters from physicians at the expense of carriers. The American Insurance Association said it will “strongly oppose” the second recommendation. On the first, Jessica Barta, public counsel for the OIEC, said the a...