Personnel Shortage Plagues Hawaii Comp, News Outlet Reports
Friday, December 9, 2016 | 0
Hawaii is looking into making substantial changes to its workers' compensation system once a state audit of a group of cases concludes, the state's labor czar told the Honolulu Civil Beat.
Until then, a working group convened last year is considering ways to speed up claim processing, medical care and settlements.
The working group held its most recent meeting last month on the topic of vocational rehab plans. Since it started meeting in July, the group has also discussed billing disputes, hearings, dispute resolution and the claim adjusting process.
A Honolulu Civil Beat story published Thursday, headlined "Delays, Denials Plague Hawaii's Program To Help Injured Workers," discusses the dwindling staff of administrators and doctors available to help those with work injuries.
Staff in the workers' compensation division of the labor department was cut 32% between 2008 and 2011, from 126 to 88 full-time employees, according to the labor department.
At the same time, the number of doctors willing to see workers' compensation patients has decreased, the Civil Beat reports. About 120 doctors treated injured workers five years ago. Now, about half of that do, according to Scott Miscovich, the president of an association of Hawaii doctors who treat injured workers.
Linda Chu Tamayaka, the director of Hawaii's labor department, called delays that workers face "not right" and "not fair." She said she will look into tacking the "systemic issues" facing the workers' compensation system once the Hawaii Office of the Auditor finishes analyzing a group of cases.
For now, she told the Civil Beat she expects to ask the Legislature for money to digitize the claims process.
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