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Comp bill aims to improve communication with injured workers

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New Jersey capitol

New Jersey lawmakers on Thursday introduced a bill designed to increase the transparency of medical providers' communications with injured workers in the state’s workers compensation system.

S. 3375 states that any employer, insurer or third-party administrator that hires, contacts, designates, or manages medical treatment, must provide the time, date and substance of any communications with treating physicians to patients or their legal representative as soon as is practicable.

The bill bars medical providers from withholding any communication from an employer or its insurer or third-party administrator to a treating physician without a documented therapeutic medical reason for withholding it.

The bill also bars employers, insurers or third-party administrators from de-authorizing any medical care without first securing an order from a judge of compensation. 

It also amends existing law to provide for compensation for expert witnesses in workers compensation hearings, and to allow such hearings to take place via telephone or video conferencing.

The bill was sent to the Senate Labor Committee and would go into effect immediately upon passage.

 

 

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