House Approves Updated Workers' Comp Fee Schedules

(Juneau) - The Alaska State House of Representatives today passed legislation to modernize the state's workers' compensation procedural fee schedules. House Labor & Commerce Committee Chair Rep. Kurt Olson, R-Kenai, sponsored the bill, HB 13, which replaces outdated the 2004 fee schedule extension held in place by emergency regulation after a new plan wasn't adopted by the 26th Alaska Legislature.

Passage of the bill allows the state to avoid uncapped medical fees for treatment and services that would have been crippling to businesses and state agencies.
~ Rep. Kurt Olson

"Literally thousands of new medical procedural codes have been created since the 2004 schedule was enacted, and HB 13 incorporates them in the Alaska Workers' Comp Act," Olson said. "Passage of the bill allows the state to avoid uncapped medical fees for treatment and services that would have been crippling to businesses and state agencies."

HB 13 proposes a full fee schedule again be established which would include the procedure codes that have been adopted since the 2004 schedule was enacted, as well as new category II and III codes following the American Medical Association and Health Care Procedure Coding System.

HB 13, which passed by a vote of 30 to zero, now moves to the Alaska Senate for consideration.