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| For Immediate Release April 30, 2003 |
Sacramento, CA- - The Assembly Insurance Committee showed the first sign of real support for workers’ compensation reform today after hearing testimony from the business community and passing, with a unanimous vote, a bill that requires training for physicians rating work related injuries - AB 1483 (Richman).
“Better trained physicians in assessing workers’ compensation related injuries result in greater benefits to workers and in the long term, a more efficient system,” noted Assemblymember Keith Richman.
“A big reason the workers’ compensation system has become so expensive is the subjective way injured workers are rated for disability benefits. Requiring doctors to go through training and follow objective standards is a substantial first step in assuring legitimate disability ratings,” said CMTA president Jack M. Stewart.
The Assembly Insurance Committee also heard many other significant reform bills but failed to pass them out of the committee.
“It appears that the Assembly is beginning to understand the importance of fixing the badly broken workers’ compensation system, but there is a long way to go and there are many more reforms that need to be addressed if the Legislature is serious about real cost reductions,” concluded Stewart.
Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi echoed similar thoughts in his presentation to the committee. “There must be a sense of urgency to reform the work comp system immediately. Time has run out and we simply can’t afford not to act.”
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