2006 Legislative Updates
The following bills affecting workers' compensation passed during the 2006 session of the General Assembly. For more information concerning these bills, please go to the Georgia General Assembly's web page at www.legis.ga.gov.
(1) HB 1240 (2006 Workers' Compensation Bill)
(New) O.C.G.A. §34-9-25
Physicians treating workers' compensation claimants shall comply with the provisions against patient self-referral as set forth in Chapter 1B of Title 43.
O.C.G.A. §34-9-104
(2) When an injury is not catastrophic, as defined in subsection (g) of Code Section 34-9-200.1, and the employee is not working, the board shall determine that a change in condition for the better has occurred and the employee shall be entitled to the payment of benefits for partial disability in accordance with Code Section 34-9-262 if it is determined that the employee has been capable of performing work with limitations or restrictions for 52 consecutive weeks. Within 60 days of the employee's release to return to work with restrictions or limitations, the employer shall provide notice to the employee on a form provided by the board that will inform the employee that he or she has been released to work with limitations or restrictions, will include an explanation of the limitations or restrictions, and will inform the employee of the general terms of this Code section. In no event shall an employee be eligible for more than 78 aggregate weeks of benefits for total disability while such employee is capable of performing work with limitations or restrictions. No provision of this paragraph shall be interpreted to prevent a change in condition from occurring pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection or to prevent an employee from becoming eligible for benefits for total disability should such employee subsequently become totally disabled after exhausting 52 consecutive weeks or 78 aggregate weeks of such benefits while capable of performing work with limitations or restrictions. Whenever an employer seeks to convert an employee from benefits for total disability to benefits for partial disability as provided in this paragraph, such employer may convert the benefits unilaterally by filing a form indicating the reason for the conversion as prescribed by rule of the board.
O.C.G.A. §34-9-203
(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, if the employee or the provider of health care goods or services fails to submit its charges to the employer or its workers' compensation insurer within one year of the date of service or the issuance of such goods or services or, in the case of an employee, within one year of the date of incurring of mileage expenses, then the provider is deemed to have waived its right to collect such charges from the employer, its workers' compensation insurer, and the employee; and, in regard to mileage expenses, the employee is deemed to have waived his or her right to collect such charges from the employer or its workers' compensation insurer.
O.C.G.A. §34-9-265
(d) The total compensation payable under this Code section to a surviving spouse as a sole dependent at the time of death and where there is no other dependent for one year or less after the death of the employee shall in no case exceed $150,000.00.
O.C.G.A. §43-1B-7
Reserved.
(2) HB 1405 (Subsequent Injury Trust Fund)
O.C.G.A. §34-9-362
(a) An employer or insurer shall notify the administrator of the fund of any possible claim against the fund as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 78 calendar weeks following the injury or the payment of an amount equivalent to 78 weeks of income or death benefits, whichever occurs last.
(b) The claim must be filed in accordance with the requirements of subsection (a) of this Code section prior to the final settlement of the claim.
(c) Failure to comply with the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this Code section will constitute a bar to recovery from the Subsequent Injury Trust Fund.
(d) For those notices of claim filed with the fund on or before July 1, 2006, the employer or insurer shall have until June 30, 2009, to obtain a reimbursement agreement issued by the fund or the claim for reimbursement shall be deemed automatically denied.
(e) For those notices of claim filed with the fund after July 1, 2006, the employer or insurer shall have three years from the date the notice was received by the fund to obtain a reimbursement agreement issued by the fund or the claim for reimbursement shall be deemed automatically denied.
(f) Notwithstanding subsections (d) and (e) of this Code section, if compensability of the underlying workers' compensation claim is at issue before the State Board of Workers' Compensation, then the employer or insurer shall have three years from the date of final adjudication of compensability by the State Board of Workers' Compensation or any appellate court to obtain a reimbursement agreement issued by the fund or the claim for reimbursement shall be deemed automatically denied.
(g) Upon actual or statutory automatic denial pursuant to subsection (d), (e), or (f) of this Code section, the employer or insurer shall have 20 days from the date of denial to request a hearing with the State Board of Workers' Compensation pursuant to Code Section 34-9-100; otherwise recovery shall be barred.