February 14, 2005
Chamber lobbies for work comp changes
The Chamber of Commerce
of Hawaii reported to its members Monday that several
of the workers' compensation bills before
the Hawaii Legislature this session reflect changes
that the business community would like to see.
"At
a hearing on Friday, state Rep. Kirk Caldwell stated
there were 48 workers' comp bills initiated," chamber
President Jim
Tollefson said in his weekly Monday Report newsletter
to chamber members. "This session, only 14 were
chosen to be heard. I
am pleased to say three of the bills are the direct focus
of the chamber."
Tollefson said to build support the chamber has joined
with union leaders to form a collaborative group to
find fair-based
equitable and meaningful solutions to help ease the
burden of workers comp costs.
"While labor and the chamber
agree that we will have our differences on specific issues
related to current workers' comp
measures, we are trying to find common ground," Tollefson
said. "Although we are still in dialogue with labor,
we are making
progress and the chamber believes this is an opportunity
to achieve realistic, viable reform."
In recent days, chamber officials have appeared before
state legislative committees on some of the bills that
would change the
rules for workers comp:
- Chamber board Chairwoman Christine Camp
Friedman has testified for House Bill 1636, which
would require the state
and the courts to recognize the validity of labor-management
agreements on workers' compensation that meet certain
specified requirements.
- Chris Pablo, chairman of the
chamber's Health Issues Committee, gave testimony
on House Bill 1600, which authorizes
insurers and self-insured employers to establish
medical provider networks to provide medical treatment
to injured
workers. The chamber believes this bill will provide
businesses with better control over the total cost
of claims.
- Wanda Kakugawa, chairwoman of the chamber's
Workers' Compensation Working Group, gave testimony
on House Bill
1307, which gives the insurance commissioner authorization
to investigate complaints and prosecute cases of
fraud,
provided the complaint is against an insurance carrier,
self-insured employer or a full-insured employer.
Currently, the
lack of statutory enforcement and resources has precluded
reduction of fraudulent activities of claims which
results in
overall higher costs for everyone.
Union leaders have said that they agree there is
workers' compensation fraud, but assert that most
of the increase in workers'
compensation costs comes not from fraud but from
the overall uptrend in all kinds of medical costs.
Pacific Business News (Honolulu) - February 14, 2005
http://pacific.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2005/02/14/daily2.html
© 2005 American City Business Journals Inc.
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