As the line of business that typically requires the most state-mandated forms, it’s easy to see that the workers’ compensation claims process is most definitely forms-driven. And with those forms in the driver’s seat, insurers need to accommodate the various routes (a.k.a. forms changes) taken to achieve compliance. Sometimes form changes are dictated by legislative and regulatory activity, such as this year’s Oklahoma’s SB 878 which produced extensive modification to that state’s workers’ compensation system. Other claim forms are sometimes revised to accommodate an updated agency website or street address change, with the essential form content, usage, and edition date remaining unchanged. Regardless of the underlying reason for revision, carriers need to be aware of the most updated versions to ensure compliant implementation in their processing systems.
With state workers’ compensation regulatory agencies being directly, and deeply, involved in the promulgation of claim forms it is interesting to note that through the first 10 months of 2011, over 300 such claim forms were revised, newly created, combined or rendered obsolete. Jurisdictions with workers’ compensation claim forms changes thus far in 2011 include Alaska, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Wisconsin.
So whether it’s a revised Form 1 “First Report of Injury” in Vermont, an SF 53914 “Notice of Denial of Benefit” form in Indiana, which now has a Notice to Employees” section added, or multiple Michigan forms updated to reflect its new agency, the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), each one requires changes in insurers’ processing systems.
With so many varied forms changes across so many states, a continuing challenge for workers’ compensation insurers is the monitoring for all types of form changes so that ongoing claims compliance can be achieved.
Editor’s Recommendation: Keep current with workers’ compensation claim form changes with Uniform Forms and the AuthenticWeb Workers’ Compensation State Mandated Forms Matrix.
