New law gives injured workers a choice of medical provider

House Bill 07-1176 will affect all Colorado employers as of January 1, 2008. The bill, enacted by the Colorado Legislature, changes the Colorado Workers Compensation Act, requiring all employers to provide a list of at least two medical providers that injured workers can choose from.  The listed providers must be at separate and distinct locations and have no common ownership.  Injured workers must also be allowed to make a one-time change of the treating physician within 90 days of injury as long as maximum medical improvement (MMI) has not been reached.  The injured worker must make a change to one of the other listed providers. If a provider list was not given to the injured worker at time of injury or within the first seven days after, then injured worker will have right to use any physician of their choosing.  A few exceptions apply to this new law for employers in rural areas, employer-owned medical providers, governmental entities, and on-site health care facilities.

For additional information regarding House Bill 07-1176 and its effects, please contact StaffScapes’ Risk Management department.