HB 1418 Summary

• Amends workers' compensation law to allow injured employees to select their own physician or health care provider, with the employer retaining selection rights only if the employee does not make a choice.

• Requires health care providers to disclose any financial interests in referral facilities to the patient, employer, insurer, and adjusting company, with violations constituting a class A misdemeanor.

• Prohibits hospitals and health care providers from billing employees or reporting to credit agencies after receiving written notice of a work-related injury, with violations allowing employees to recover actual damages plus up to $1,000 in additional damages and attorney's fees.

• Permits employers to require employees to use accumulated paid leave, personal leave, or medical leave to attend medical treatment and evaluations during work time.

• Modifies physical rehabilitation provisions to allow employee selection of rehabilitation facilities if no employer selection is made, maintaining the $40 per week benefit from the second injury fund during rehabilitation periods not exceeding 20 weeks.