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State ups some, cuts other workers comp medical fees

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North Carolina will lower payments to hospitals but increase payments to physicians treating workers compensation patients under medical fee schedule revisions.

Under changes approved by the state's Rules Review Commission, maximum fees paid to hospitals and other institutions providing care under North Carolina's workers compensation system are set to decrease, while maximum fees paid to physicians, nurses, and other professional providers will increase, North Carolina Industrial Commission said Monday in a statement.

According to the commission, the changes to fees for institutional services are scheduled to take effect on April 1, while the revised rates for professional services will take effect starting on July 1.

North Carolina Industrial Commission Chairman Andrew T. Heath said the fee schedule changes replace an out-of-date fee schedule and reflects a compromise agreement between insurers, hospitals, physicians, and other medical care providers.

“The new Industrial Commission Medical Fee Schedule incorporates long-needed revisions that will protect injured workers' access to health care while significantly reducing the overall cost of the workers compensation system by establishing fair and reasonable fees for medical treatment,” Mr. Heath said in the statement.

The commission said that an analysis by the National Council on Compensation Insurance Inc. projects that the new fee schedule will result in approximately $27 million in annual savings to the North Carolina workers compensation system.