HB4248 Summary

• Requires employees to prove by preponderance of credible evidence that accidental injuries arose out of employment and are the "major contributing cause" (greater than 50%) of the medical condition for which compensation is sought.

• Establishes that injuries must be proven to a reasonable degree of medical certainty based on objective relevant medical findings; excludes injuries from hazards not incidental to employment or hazards to which the general public is also exposed.

• Provides that awards for permanent partial disability shall be reduced by amounts previously received for prior injuries that resulted in permanency awards.

• Creates a Workers' Compensation Ombudsman Program within the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission and establishes the Workers' Compensation Edit, Alignment, and Reform Commission to develop a recodification of the Workers' Compensation Act.

• Transfers fraud and insurance non-compliance investigation authority from the Department of Insurance to the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission and requires the Commission to procure an advanced analytics system for fraud detection by January 1, 2012.