BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 2883 Page 1 Date of Hearing: April 13, 2016 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Lorena Gonzalez, Chair AB 2883 (Committee on Insurance) - As Amended March 29, 2016 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Policy |Insurance |Vote:|13 - 0 | |Committee: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No SUMMARY: This bill directs the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation (CHSWC) to conduct a study on the viability of establishing a paperless system for approval of treatment requests in the workers' compensation system, and AB 2883 Page 2 deletes a duplicative Labor Code Section. FISCAL EFFECT: Costs of $500,000 -$700,000 to CHSWC within the Department of Industrial Relations to contract for the required study (Workers' Compensation Administration Revolving Fund). COMMENTS: 1)Purpose. This bill is intended to address a source of frustration in the workers' compensation system: delays associated with obtaining approval for recommended treatment. The committee wishes to assess whether this process could be streamlined by an electronic system for approval of treatment requests, and indicates CHSWC is the appropriate entity to conduct this study. 2)CHSWC examines the health and safety and workers' compensation systems in California and makes recommendations to improve their operation. Commission members are appointed by the Governor, and there are an equal number of labor and employer representatives. Analysis Prepared by:Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916) 319-2081 AB 2883 Page 3