CT SB00151

Employers and insurers must notify the commissioner, physician, and employee before discontinuing, reducing, or denying medical treatment deemed reasonable by a physician, and must obtain written commissioner approval.

Notice must specify the employer's or insurer's reason for disputing the reasonableness of the prescribed care and follow a standardized form established by the Workers' Compensation Commission.

Employees have 15 days from receipt of notice to request an informal hearing to object to the proposed discontinuance, reduction, or denial of treatment.

Employers must provide an opinion from a Connecticut-licensed physician stating the recommended treatment is not reasonable or necessary, or alternatively schedule an independent medical examination within two weeks of the employee receiving notice.

When physicians dispute which course of care is better (rather than whether care is reasonable), the patient has the right to choose the course of treatment after informed consent; the act takes effect October 1, 2012.