Kentucky House passes bill on comp reform, drug formulary

Legislation to update Kentucky’s workers compensation system passed the state’s House of Representatives on Wednesday and is now headed for a Senate vote.

H.B. 2, sponsored by Rep. Adam Koenig (R-Erlanger), passed the Republican-led House in a 55-39 vote with several Republicans rejecting the measure and some Democrats voting in favor. The reform bill would amend more than a dozen statutes in the state’s code governing workers comp.

The changes include the creation of a drug formulary, a 15-year cap on claims from the date of injury with an amendment that called for recertification filings if a worker is still suffering, increases to weekly wage caps, limitations on reopening claims, limits for filing claims on injuries identified years after exposure, limits on cumulative injuries, the establishment of medical treatment guidelines and standards of care, return to work guidelines and the establishment of timelines for payment of medical claims.