AB669: Bill Text

AB669, s. 23 Section 23. 102.32 (6) (d) of the statutes is created to read:

AB669,18,23 102.32 (6) (d) The department shall promulgate rules for determining when compensation for permanent disability shall begin in cases in which the employer or the employer's insurer concedes liability, but disputes the extent of permanent disability.

AB669, s. 24 Section 24. 102.32 (6m) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB669,19,6 102.32 (6m) The department may direct an advance on a payment of unaccrued compensation for permanent disability or death benefits if the department determines that the advance payment is in the best interest of the injured employee or the employee's dependents. In directing the advance, the department shall give the employer or the employer's insurer an interest credit against its liability. The credit shall be computed at 7%.

AB669, s. 25 Section 25. 102.35 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB669,19,15 102.35 (1) Every employer and every insurance company that fails to keep the records or to make the reports required by this chapter or that knowingly falsifies such records or makes false reports shall forfeit to the state not less than $10 nor more than $100 for each offense. The department may waive or reduce a forfeiture imposed under this subsection if the employer or insurance company that violated this subsection requests a waiver or reduction of the forfeiture within 45 days after notice of the forfeiture is mailed to the employer or insurance company and shows that the violation was due to mistake or an absence of information.

AB669, s. 26 Section 26. 102.42 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB669,20,4 102.42 (2) (a) Where When the employer has notice of an injury and its relationship to the employment, the employer shall offer to the injured employee his or her choice of any physician, chiropractor, psychologist, dentist , physician assistant, advanced practice nurse prescriber, or podiatrist licensed to practice and practicing in this state for treatment of the injury. By mutual agreement, the employee may have the choice of any qualified practitioner not licensed in this state. In case of emergency, the employer may arrange for treatment without tendering a choice. After the emergency has passed the employee shall be given his or her choice of attending practitioner at the earliest opportunity. The employee has the right to a 2nd choice of attending practitioner on notice to the employer or its insurance carrier. Any further choice shall be by mutual agreement. Partners and clinics are deemed considered to be one practitioner. Treatment by a practitioner on referral from another practitioner is deemed considered to be treatment by one practitioner.

AB669, s. 27 Section 27. 102.44 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB669,20,15 102.44 (1) (intro.) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, every employee who is receiving compensation under this chapter for permanent total disability or continuous temporary total disability more than 24 months after the date of injury resulting from an injury which occurred prior to January 1, 1978, May 13, 1980, shall receive supplemental benefits which shall be payable in the first instance by the employer or the employer's insurance carrier, or in the case of benefits payable to an employee under s. 102.66, shall be paid by the department out of the fund created under s. 102.65. These supplemental benefits shall be paid only for weeks of disability occurring after January 1, 1980 1982, and shall continue during the period of such total disability subsequent to that date.

AB669, s. 28 Section 28. 102.44 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB669,20,20 102.44 (1) (a) If such employee is receiving the maximum weekly benefits in effect at the time of the injury, the supplemental benefit for a week of disability occurring after January 1, 2002 2004, shall be an amount which, when added to the regular benefit established for the case, shall equal $202 $233.

AB669, s. 29 Section 29. 102.44 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB669,21,2 102.44 (1) (b) If such employee is receiving a weekly benefit which is less than the maximum benefit which was in effect on the date of the injury, the supplemental benefit for a week of disability occurring after January 1, 2002 2004, shall be an amount sufficient to bring the total weekly benefits to the same proportion of $202 $233 as the employee's weekly benefit bears to the maximum in effect on the date of injury.

AB669, s. 30 Section 30. 102.49 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB669,21,5 102.49 (5) (a) In each case of injury resulting in death, the employer or insurer shall pay into the state treasury the sum of $5,000 $10,000.

AB669, s. 31 Section 31. 102.59 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB669,21,11 102.59 (2) In the case of the loss or of the total impairment of a hand, arm, foot, leg, or eye, the employer shall pay $7,000 $10,000 into the state treasury. The payment shall be made in all such cases regardless of whether the employee, or the employee's dependent or personal representative commences action against a 3rd party as provided in s. 102.29.

AB669, s. 32 Section 32. 102.81 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB669,21,19 102.81 (1) (a) If an employee of an uninsured employer, other than an employee who is eligible to receive alternative benefits under s. 102.28 (3), suffers an injury for which the uninsured employer is liable under s. 102.03, the department or the department's reinsurer shall pay to or on behalf of the injured employee or to the employee's dependents an amount equal to the compensation owed them by the uninsured employer under this chapter except penalties and interest due under ss. 102.16 (3), 102.18 (1) (b) and (bp), 102.22 (1), 102.35 (3), 102.57 , and 102.60.

AB669, s. 33 Section 33. 102.82 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB669,22,3 102.82 (1) An uninsured employer shall reimburse the department for any payment made under s. 102.81 (1) to or on behalf of an employee of the uninsured employer or to an employee's dependents and for any expenses paid by the department in administering the claim of the employee or dependents, less amounts repaid by the employee or dependents under s. 102.81 (4) (b). The reimbursement owed under this subsection is due within 30 days after the date on which the department notifies the uninsured employer that the reimbursement is owed. Interest shall accrue on amounts not paid when due at the rate of 1% per month.

AB669, s. 34 Section 34. Initial applicability.

AB669,22,5 (1) Fee disputes and necessity of treatment disputes.

AB669,22,8 (a) The treatment of section 102.16 (2) (a) and (d) and (2m) (a) of the statutes first applies to fee disputes and necessity of treatment disputes submitted to the department of workforce development on the effective date of this paragraph.

AB669,22,12 (b) The treatment of section 102.16 (2) (f) and (2m) (e) of the statutes first applies to fee dispute and necessity of treatment dispute determinations made by the department of workforce development 30 days before the effective date of this paragraph.

AB669,22,15 (2) Payment of awards. The treatment of section 102.18 (1) (e) of the statutes first applies to orders awarding worker's compensation mailed to a party on the effective date of this subsection.

AB669,22,19 (3) Permanent disability payments. The renumbering and amendment of section 102.32 (6) of the statutes and the treatment of section 102.32 (6m) of the statutes first apply to compensation for permanent disability that becomes due on the effective date of this subsection.

AB669, s. 35 Section 35. Effective date.

AB669,22,22 (1) This act takes effect on January 1, 2004, or on the day after publication, whichever is later.

AB669,22,23 (End)