Chapter 879 Oregon Laws 1999

Session Law

AN ACT

SB 222

Relating to workers' compensation advisory committees; amending ORS 656.794.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. ORS 656.794 is amended to read:

656.794. [(1)] There shall be created an advisory committee on medical care. This committee shall consist of [nine members and shall be] members appointed by and [serve] serving at the pleasure of the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services to advise the director on matters relating to the provision of medical care to workers. [The committee shall include six physicians who are qualified to be attending physicians, including two medical doctors, one naturopathic physician, one chiropractic physician, one osteopathic physician and one dentist, and shall include] The director by rule shall determine the composition of the committee. Membership of the committee shall include representatives of the types of health care providers that are most representative of health care providers providing medical care services to injured workers. The committee shall also include one representative of insurers, one representative of employers, [and] one representative of workers, one representative of managed care organizations and other persons as the director may determine are necessary to carry out the purpose of the committee. Members of the committee shall be paid travel and other necessary expenses for service as a member. Such payments shall be made from the Consumer and Business Services Fund.

[(2) The duties of the committee are:]

[(a) To advise the director on matters relating to the provision of medical care to injured workers by insurers or self-insured employers.]

[(b) To review proposed standards for medical evaluation of disabilities and to make recommendations to the director.]

[(c) To prepare and submit for consideration by the director appropriate rules governing the furnishing of medical care to injured workers by employers or insurers under this chapter, including but not limited to the rates to be paid for medical services to be provided to injured workers, and any supplement or amendment to such rules. The director, upon the motion of the director, upon the request of the advisory committee or upon request of any other interested party, shall in compliance with ORS 183.310 to 183.550 promulgate such rules, supplements or amendments, or such modifications thereof as the director determines to be desirable.]

[(3) Nothing in this section prevents the director on the motion of the director and in compliance with ORS 183.310 to 183.550 from promulgating rules relating to medical care under its general authority under ORS 656.726, but before doing so the director shall submit such rules to the advisory committee created by this section for its advice.]

Approved by the Governor July 30, 1999

Filed in the office of Secretary of State July 30, 1999

Effective date October 23, 1999

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