The expense of medical panels called after July 1, 1997, to consider claims from injured workers should be paid from the Uninsured Employer's Fund rather than the Employer's Resinsurance Fund, according to the State Industrial Commission's Workers' Compensation Advisory Council.
After a unanimous vote on the issue, the council rejected a commission proposal that would have allowed the commission to use its medical director or medical consultants as an alternative to convening full medical panels.Commissioner Colleen Colton said recent court decisions require sending more disputed injured worker cases to medical panels, a time-consuming and expensive procedure.
She said it is difficult to find doctors to serve on the panels because the pay is low. In some instances, the referrals could be handled by the commission's medical director.
Tim Allen, a former commission administrative law judge who ruled on hundreds of workers' compensation cases during his 18 years on the bench, said it is unfair to put pressure on a medical director who may not be trained in certain medical areas. Allen was appointed to the council several months ago.