Public Act No. 23-32 Summary

• Modifies workers' compensation medical care plan approval requirements effective October 1, 2023, requiring plans to include an administrative process allowing employees to seek unlimited determinations of medical necessity and appropriateness of recommended health care services.

• Establishes a working group by August 15, 2023, to review medical records statutes and recommend legislative changes to streamline third-party medical record requests and establish reasonable fee assessments for providing medical records copies, with a report due by February 1, 2024.

• Establishes a second working group by August 15, 2023, to review partial permanent disability payment levels under the workers' compensation system and assess whether current benefit levels adequately protect injured employees, with recommendations due by February 1, 2024.

• Both working groups include judicial committee leadership, public health committee representatives, Workers' Compensation Commission legal director, and stakeholder representatives from medical records providers, hospitals, physicians, insurers, attorneys, and bar associations.