CA SB228 workers comp bill

[Guest guest]

Alon and others;

For those of you interested in the progress of California Bill SB 228

which threatened to seriously cut worker's comp reimbursement for

acupuncture- it appears that the bill has been amended to state:

 

" This bill would delete these fee schedule requirements.

It would, instead, prohibit charges under this medical fee schedule

from exceeding 120% of the fee prescribed for the same item in the

applicable Medicare payment

system, or, with regard to pharmacy services and drugs, 100% of

the fee prescribed by the applicable Medi-Cal payment system.

This bill would require that, if no Medicare or Medi-Cal payment

system applies, as appropriate, the administrative director

establish maximum fees, subject to the limitation that the

maximum fees paid do not exceed use, product, or service 120% of

the fees paid by Medicare for services that require comparable

resources or,with regard to pharmacy services and drugs, 100% of the

fees paid byMedi-Cal for pharmacy services or drugs that require

comparable

resources . "

 

Since Medicare does not cover acupuncture it appears that the bill

would not adversely affect us.

Warren Sheir

 

Check out link to amended(as of 4-29-03) bill:

 

http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_0201-

0250/sb_228_bill_20030429_amended_sen.html