Regulatory Compliance
Pennsylvania
Our associates are experienced with the issues impacting Pennsylvania employers and work side by side with our customers to deliver innovative, tailored solutions to manage risk and keep you ahead of your costs.
CorVel’s innovative claims management solution connects injured employees to a range of medical services that ensure employees feel cared for, while employers have the confidence of knowing they are utilizing the most effective measures available to manage their workers’ compensation costs. We have created an environment of advocacy for the injured worker, while also providing clients with full transparency and access to critical information throughout the claim process.
Pennsylvania Regulatory Updates 01/10/2025
New Form Available for Direct Deposit: Pursuant to Act 126 of 2024 relating to direct deposit of wage loss benefits, the Bureau of Workersʼ Compensation developed the Payment Authorization Form for use by all insurers and self-insured employers to initiate or stop payment of wage loss benefits via direct deposit. The fillable PDF form is available here.
Pennsylvania Regulatory Updates 08/06/2024
SB 1232 – Direct Deposit For Workers’ Compensation Payments
Issues: Workers’ Compensation (General)
Summary:
07/10/2024: This measure requires deposit of workers’ compensation benefits, unless the worker does not have an account capable of accepting direct deposit, in which case payment by paper check is allowed. It requires notice be given to the individual entitled to this manner of compensation. It also outlines basic requirements for a direct deposit authorization form. It takes effect 60 days after enactment.
Most Recent Update:
- 07/11/2024 – Referred to House Labor and Industry Committee
HB 2490 – An Act Amending the Act of June 2, 1915 (P.L.736, No.338), Known As the Workers’ Compensation Act, In Procedure, Further Providing For Compromise and Release.
Issues: Workers’ Compensation (General)
Summary:
07/10/2024: This measure prohibits an employer from requiring an employee, as a condition of a workers’ compensation settlement, to resign, refrain from reapplying, signing a confidentially agreement, or accepting indemnification for a claim by Medicare. Agreements containing these terms are null and void. Penalties may be applied for employers in violation of this act. It takes effect 60 days after enactment.
Most Recent Update:
- 07/10/2024 – Introduced; Referred to House Industry and Labor Committee
HB 2310 – An Act Amending the Act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), Known As the Fiscal Code, In Emergency Covid-19 Response, Further Providing For Emergency Education Relief to Nonpublic Schools; Providing For State Health Insurance Exchange Affordability Program; In Treasury Department, Further Providing For Investment of Moneys; In Oil and Gas Wells, Further Providing For Oil and Gas Lease Fund; In Transportation Network Companies, Motor Carrier Companies And Parking Authority of a City of the First Class; Providing For Operation of Taxicabs; In Assessments, Further Providing For Intermediate Care Facilities For Persons With an Intellectual Disability Assessments and For Hospital Assessments; In Attorney General, Providing For Costs of Investigation And Litigation Under Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law; Providing For Pennsylvania Minority Business Development Authority and For Agriculture Innovation Grant Program; In Special Funds, Providing For Pennsylvania Convention Center; In Tobacco Settlement Fund, Further Providing For Establishment of Special Fund and Account And For Use of Fund; In Pennsylvania Race Horse Development Fund, Further Providing For Distributions from Pennsylvania Race Horse Development Fund; In Miscellaneous Limitations And Transfers, Providing For Refund of 2009 Assessment By Insurance Department; In Clean Streams Funds, Further Providing For Clean Streams Fund; In Service And Infrastructure Improvement Fund, Further Providing For Deposits; In General Budget Implementation, Further Providing For Executive Offices, For Department of Agriculture, For Department of Community and Economic Development, For Department of General Services, For Department of Labor And Industry, For Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency And For Commonwealth Financing Authority, Providing For Mixed-Use Revitalization Program, Further Providing For Supreme Court, For Federal and Commonwealth Use of Forest Land and For Multimodal Transportation Fund and Providing For School Safety and Security Fund; In 2023-2024 Budget Implementation, Further Providing For Department of Human Services and For Department of Transportation; Providing For 2024-2025 Budget Implementation, For 2024-2025 Restrictions on Appropriations For Funds and Accounts, For Streamlining Permits For Economic Expansion and Development Program, For Pennsylvania Strategic Investment to Enhance Sites (Pa Sites) Program and For Fiscal Supplements to Statutory Programs; Making Repeals; and Making an Editorial Change….
Issues: Workers’ Compensation (General)
Summary:
07/15/2024: This measure provides various appropriations for fiscal year 2025, among other things. This measure would take effect immediately, except the provisions establishing the PA Sites Program, which would take effect 60 days after enactment.
Most Recent Update:
- 07/10/2024 – This measure has been signed by Governor Josh Shapiro (D) on July 11, 2024.This measure takes effect on July 11, 2024.
Pennsylvania Regulatory Updates 07/11/2024
SB 1232 – Direct Deposit For Workers’ Compensation Payments
Issues: Workers’ Compensation (General)
Summary for 06/03/2024
This measure directs deposit of workers’ compensation benefits upon request by employer, employee, or insurer. It requires notice be given to the individual entitled to this manner of compensation.
It takes effect 60 days after enactment.
Most Recent Update:
- 06/24/2024 – Hearing Held; Passed Committee
Pennsylvania Regulatory Updates 4/20/2023
HM 40220 – Modernizing Standards For Utilization Review In Workers’ Compensation
Issues: Workers’ Compensation (General)
Summary:
This memo would bring utilization review standards for the workers’ compensation system in line with those used for Medicaid and commercial insurance.
Most Recent Update:
3/17/2023
This co-sponsorship memorandum was released by the author in an attempt to garner support for general issues or specific bills. This memorandum is eligible to be considered in the 2023-2024 legislative session. Not all co-sponsorship memoranda will result in introduced legislation. As the General Assembly does not utilize legislative deadlines, an author may introduce a measure after releasing its co-sponsorship memorandum at any time during the session.
Additional Outlook: According to the sponsor: “I am preparing to introduce legislation that would finally apply standards to the organizations that provided medical treatment review for injured workers in Pennsylvania. Although workers’ compensation works a bit differently as a payment system than other types of insurance, I believe there should be similar medical treatment review standards and time limits for these patients, regardless of the payment system. As you may remember, the General Assembly enacted unanimously bipartisan legislation (Senator Phillips-Hill’s SB 225) in the prior session to provide for standards and timely review of decision-making in group health insurance and Medicaid. My legislation would require the organizations that perform medical treatment review in workers’ compensation to be accredited, just as review organizations in these other health care payment systems must now be accredited. In addition to ensuring that medical treatment review for injured workers is subject to standards that consider medical best practices, leading accreditation standards require specific timeframes for different types of review – which, under current law and regulations, can take up to 65 days for all types of review. By requiring treatment review to be conducted within timeframes recognized as best practices by the accreditation standards, my bill will bring the wait-times for workers’ compensation review more closely in line with those passed unanimously last session. Finally, my bill will allow review organizations who successfully complete the accreditation process to receive reimbursement from the Workers’ Compensation Administration Fund for their accreditation costs.”
Pennsylvania Services
- Workers’ compensation claims administration
- Medical bill review in compliance with state requirements
- Local PPO development and management
- Case management services
Pennsylvania Resources
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