CHANGES IN ILLINOIS WORKERS'S COMP LAW

On July 20, 2005, the Governor signed HB 2137 which implemented some significant changes into the existing law. These changes include: a) ensuring prompt payment to medical providers who treat injured workers and allowing 1% interest per month after 60 days on unpaid bills; b) a prohibiting medical providers from billing an injured worker for the balance of charges not paid by an insurance company while the claim is pending; c) creating a third Workers' Comp panel to expedite resolution of disputed claims; d) simplifying procedures for the introduction of medical records into evidence in hearings; e) increasing penalties for the unreasonable delay of Workers' Comp benefits from $10 a day to $30 a day and from $2500 per claim to $10,000 per claim. In addition, several important benefit provisions were changed. Two of the most signficant changes include: a) increasing the maximum benefit for a worker killed on the job to the greater of $500,000 or 25 years at the ma rate(was $250,000 or 20 years); and increasing burial benefits to $8000, up from $4200. Thanks to ITLA for their summary of the changes.