Bulletin Item: Workers’ Compensation Reform Developments Continue

The Assembly Insurance Committee was recently scheduled to vote on the controversial reform measure (ABX4 1) proposed by Gov. Schwarzenegger just after he took office in November. However, the committee postponed the vote, which likely would have resulted in the bill’s defeat. The governor and legislators have now entered into talks to reach a compromise on the bill’s provisions. In another development, Insurance Commissioner Garamendi unveiled a compromise workers’ compensation reform package. The commissioner’s proposal includes creating an independent medical examiner to resolve disputes over treatment; requiring employers to deliver immediate benefits for injured workers, while allowing employers additional time to dispute claims; and making uninsured employers subject to felony charges.