BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 1454
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 18, 2012

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                 AB 1454 (Solorio) - As Introduced:  January 9, 2012 

          Policy Committee:                              Insurance Vote:12 
          - 0 

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:              

           SUMMARY  

          This bill authorizes audiologists who hold doctoral degrees in 
          audiology and have five years of experience to serve as 
          qualified medical evaluators (QMEs) in the workers' compensation 
          system. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          One-time costs of up to $100,000 (workers compensation fund) if 
          it is determined that a specific audiology exam is required. 

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  . This bill would add doctors of audiology to the 
            list of physicians who may qualify to apply to be accepted as 
            a qualified medical examiner (QME), provided that the 
            individual is a practicing clinical audiologist licensed by 
            the state who has a doctorate of audiology, or a PhD and has 
            more than five years of experience in the diagnosis and 
            treatment of hearing and hearing disorders.  Under current 
            law, "physician" includes physicians and surgeons, doctors of 
            osteopathy, psychologists, acupuncturists, optometrists, 
            dentists, podiatrists and chiropractic practitioners.

            The sponsors, the California Academy of Audiology, argue that 
            much like other health care practitioners with specialized 
            training, audiologists are qualified to perform the QME 
            functions in cases that involve hearing loss.

           2)Related Legislation  .  SB 577 (Wiggins), 2007, was 
            substantially similar to this bill and was vetoed by Governor 








                                                                  AB 1454
                                                                  Page  2

            Schwarzenegger.  In his veto message, the governor noted, 
            "Although SB 557 would allow audiologists to issue a QME 
            report, it would still require the final diagnosis to be made 
            by a physician as audiologists are not able to render 
            disability determinations in the workers' comp system.  This 
            could result in unnecessary delays for injured workers and 
            increased costs to the system by delaying prompt resolution of 
            claims."


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916) 
          319-2081