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News:

Doctors Who Do Utilization Review Should Be Licensed In California
By Robert L. Weinmann, MD
In early April, 2009, while working in the Capitol for AB 933 by Paul Fong, I encountered management lobbyists blithely misinforming legislators about AB 933. The management lobbyists were telling legislators that the bill would require utilization review doctors to live in California. This assertion is false.

AB 933 says "this bill would require the physicians to be licensed by California state law."

Because of a quirk in how labor law was written, some insurance companies have been using non-California licensed doctors for utilization review. These doctors have not had to do the required 12-hour course in pain management that is required for doctors with California licenses. The non-California licensed doctors are also not responsible for 26 pages of California-specific regulations governing utilization review.

http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2009/04/doctors_who_do.html

Important:

If you have a work injury, report it or have your attorney report it immediately and properly to your employer. If you do not report your injury before termination or layoff your claim may be barred and you will receive no benefits. If you still believe that the insurance company will take of you when you are hurt, think again.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081205/ap_on_bi_ge/financial_meltdown

The Workers Compensation Reform Act (Senate Bill 899)passed by the Governor and his supporters from the insurance lobby is an attack on your rights! If you draw a paycheck or if you own a business with employees, sooner or later these changes are going to affect you or someone you care about. These changes have done the following:

• Abolished Vocational Rehabilitation Job Training
• Cut Permanent Disability Awards by an average of 76%
• Effectively taken away your right to choose your own Doctor
• You must chose a doctor from a list of insurance selected doctors, yes many of these lists are loaded with the same insurance defense doctors who have routinely denied you care and benefits.
• Assuming you find a doctor to treat you, his treatment recommendations are subject to "Utilization Review", this essentially means that an out of state doctor paid by the insurance company who will never see you will deny your care.
• Adopted "Apportionment", a fault concept that further cuts benefits and discriminates against older workers, pregnant women, women who have borne children, and handicapped persons.
• Temporary disability has been shortened from 5 years to 2 years. Bedridden? Waiting for surgery? Paralyzed? Too bad, Temporary Disability benefits will stop in 2 years.
• Employers are still paying outrageous premiums while insurance companies post huge profits.
• The California Medical Association survey says that 63% of doctors are no longer going to treat work injuries due to routine denials of care and impossible billing procedures.
• Your level of pain may no longer be used determine your disability.
• These changes are retroactive to all open cases.

 CALL NOW and talk to the Experts at Cleveland & Metz to preserve your rights and benefits! We can help you!

ClevelandMetzLaw@aol.com

 If you unhappy with how the Workers Compensation Reform affects you, a family member or a friend...

Please make efforts by e-mailing, writing or calling State Legislators to oppose these changes to your benefits immediately.

Contact information for legislators can be found at:

Call us now! We can help you get through the maze of the Workers Compensation system. Remember, the Insurance Companies have lawyers representing them, so should you!

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