REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

• Posted in the register published on January 3, 2018 notice of action on various rules proposed in 2017.  Notice of Adoption was published for  rules 17.02.04-Administrative Rules of Industrial Commission Under the Workers' Compensation Law benefits; 17.02.07 Procedures to Obtain Compensation; 17.02.08 Miscellaneous Provisions; 17.02.10 Administrative Rules of the Industrial commission Under the Workers' Compensation Law Security for Compensation Insurance Carriers; and 17.02.11 Administrative Rules of the Industrial commission Under the Workers' Compensation Law Security for Compensation Self-Insured Employers.  Also published in the register was notice of vacating proposed rulemaking for 17.02.04 docket no 17-204-1702.

REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

• Idaho has posted notice of proposed rules for FY 2018.  The notice posted changes to:
  • 02.04, Administrative Rules of the IC Under the Worker's Compensation Law – Benefits
  • 17-0204-1701 Proposed Rulemaking, Bulletin Vol. 17-11
  • 17-0204-1702 Proposed Rulemaking, Bulletin Vol. 17-11
  • 02.07, Procedures to Obtain Compensation
  • 17-0207-1701 Proposed Rulemaking, Bulletin Vol. 17-11
  • 02.08, Miscellaneous Provisions
  • 17-0208-1701 Proposed Rulemaking, Bulletin Vol. 17-11
  • 02.10, Administrative Rules of the Industrial Commission Under the Workers' Compensation Law --
  • Security for Compensation -- Insurance Carriers
  • 17-0210-1701 Proposed Rulemaking, Bulletin Vol. 17-11
  • 02.11, Administrative Rules of the Industrial Commission Under the Workers’ Compensation Law --
  • Security for Compensation -- Self-Insured Employers
  • 17-0211-1701 Proposed Rulemaking, Bulletin Vol. 17-11
• The Industrial Commission Claims and Benefits department conducts compliance audits of insurers and their designated in-state adjusters. Periodic audits are performed to ensure insurer and self-insured employers comply with claims adjusting requirements as required by Statute and Rule.

FEE SCHEDULE NEWS:

• The inpatient fee schedule was updated as of October 1, 2017 with the current MS-DRG weights, multiplied by a state-specific base rate. The next update is expected on October 1, 2018.

REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

• The next meeting of the Commission's Advisory Committee is scheduled to be held November 8, 2017 beginning at 9:00 AM in the Industrial Commission's first floor conference room, 700 Clearwater Lane, Boise, Idaho.

REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

• The Industrial Commission's Annual Workers' Compensation Seminar is being held on Thursday, October 26th at the Boise Centre. Employers, attorneys, insurance professionals, rehabilitation counselors, medical providers and anyone interested in the Idaho workers’ compensation system will find valuable information at the Annual Idaho Industrial Commission Seminar on Workers’ Compensation. The conference features workers’ compensation experts from across the industry discussing a variety of timely topics of interest to anyone working in Idaho’s workers’ compensation system.  To register go to: https://iic.idaho.gov/seminar/register.html.

REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

• Updated the FY18 Strategic Plan. 

REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

• Posted notice of intent to promulgate rules - negotiated rulemaking by the Idaho Industrial Commission for the following rules: 17.02.08 miscellaneous provisions; 17.02.09 medical fees; 17.02.10 administrative rules of the industrial commission under the workers' compensation law security for compensation insurance carriers; and 17.02.11 administrative rules of the industrial commission under the workers' compensation law security for compensation self-insured employers.   A public hearing was scheduled to be held on June 20, 2017 for 02.08, 17.02.10; and 17.02.11 at 1:00 p.m. at the Idaho Industrial Commission 700 South Clearwater Lane, Boise, Idaho.  A public hearing was scheduled to be held on June 22, 2017 for 17.02.09 at 9:00 a.m. at the Idaho Industrial Commission 700 South Clearwater Lane Boise, Idaho.
• Posted Notice regarding rule making for Prompt Claims and Medical Fee Schedule.  The Prompt Claims Rule public meeting was held on June 29, 2017 at 9:00 am - Industrial Commission (700 Clearwater Ln, Boise, ID 83712).  A copy of the hand out is attached.  The Medical Fee Schedule public meeting is being held on July 10, 2017 at 1:00 pm - Industrial Commission (700 Clearwater Ln, Boise, ID 83712).

REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

• The Commission has changed the mandate for EDI Claims Release 3 to November 4, 2017. To find complete information regarding Idaho go to: https://iicedi.info/ .

LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS:

• Senate Bill 1039
  The enacted statute amends Idaho Employment Security Law to change the status of Idaho Career Information staff from exempt to classified. The proposed change of status of four current Career Information System positions from exempt (non-classified) to classified involves no major changes in compensation, vacation, sick leave accrual or benefits. Based on the statutes already in place and followed by the Department of Labor, the four positions are earning a salary equivalent to an appropriate department classified pay grade, which is a pay grade "L" as shown in the current Fiscal Year 2017 compensation schedule as maintained by the Division of Human Resources.

REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

• The Idaho Industrial Commission (IIC), in association with Verisk Analytics/ISO, announced that the new Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Claims website is now available at https://iicedi.info/.  Rolled out on January 25, 2017 the EDI involves a computer-to-computer exchange of data in a standardized format. That enables hundreds of different documents to be efficiently and legally exchanged. The EDI Claims 3.0 program, which will be implemented in July, will rely on use of the new website and will prepare the IIC for more efficient and accessible data processing for the average of 35,000 claims received each year.   Alongside with the website’s launch, an Implementation Guide is also available to help users understand how to conduct EDI business with the IIC while providing references to other important documents. It is available for download in the Implementation Guide Page of IIC EDI Claims website: https://iicedi.info/guide.  EDI Claims 3.0 will be an upgrade from EDI Claims 1.0 and is designed to reduce paper use by enabling the electronic submission of workers’ compensation forms and claims. The contract for developing EDI Claims 3.0 data services was awarded to Verisk Analytics/ISO effective November 28, 2016.  Its implementation is scheduled to be complete on July 1, 2017. Trading Partners are encouraged to complete a registration at https://iicedi.info/register no later than March 17, 2017.

LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS:

• House Bill 5
  The purpose of this bill is to enhance the use and functionality of the state's Prescription Monitoring Program ("PMP") database. Specifically, this bill allows medical and pharmacy students to access the PMP as a delegate of a supervising practitioner or pharmacist; limits the Board of Pharmacy's recordkeeping of PMP data to five (5) years; and requires one-time pharmacist registration for free PMP access in a manner similar to what is required for prescribers.  Effective Date: July 1, 2017.

FEE SCHEDULE NEWS:

• The medical fee schedule has been updated as of January 1, 2017 with the new 2017 National Physician Fee Schedule Relative Value File.
• The inpatient fee schedule was updated as of October 1, 2016 with the current MS-DRG weights, multiplied by a state-specific base rate. The next update is expected on October 1, 2017.
• The outpatient and ASC fee schedules have been updated to use the 2017 Medicare OPPS APC relative weights effective January 1, 2017.  The outpatient and ASC base rates remain unchanged.  The next update is expected in January 2018.

REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

• On January 6, 2017 Idaho published Hospital Outpatient Surgery Center (ASC) Effective January 1, 2017.  The Documents published were Addendum B – Weights by CPT Code) CMS-1656-CN) and Addendum D1 – Status Indicators.
• A meeting is scheduled on February 8, 2017 by the Idaho Advisory Committee on Workers’ Compensation to discuss EDI updates and medical fee schedule proposals.

FEE SCHEDULE NEWS:

• The Medical fee schedule has been updated as of January 1, 2016 with the new 2016 National Physician Fee Schedule Relative Value File.
• The Inpatient fee schedule was updated as of October 1, 2016 with the current MS-DRG weights, multiplied by a state-specific base rate. The next update is expected on October 1, 2017.
• The Outpatient and ASC fee schedules have been updated to use the 2016 Medicare OPPS APC relative weights effective July 1, 2016.  The Commission adopted rules to incorporate APC Status Indicator J1. Rehabilitation Services are now payable under the acute-care hospital payment methodologies.  The next update is expected in January 2017.

REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

• The Industrial Commission announced information regarding EDI Claims Release 3.0: the technical tables are complete, but they are subject to change. The implementation guide, tables and supporting documentation can be found at:  https://iic.idaho.gov/EDI/edi_3.0.html.

LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS:

• House Bill 501
  The purpose of this legislation is to allow insurance companies to utilize certain Idaho bonds as security deposits for the Idaho Industrial Commission.  Effective Date March 30, 2016.
• House Bill 554
  This bill addresses the nearly impossible burden of proving occupational disease associated with firefighting within the workers’ compensation system.   Research has established that firefighters are significantly more likely to develop certain types of cancer than the general population. Under current law, the burden of proof for these known occupational diseases is nearly impossible to overcome as exposures are chronic, occur over long periods of time, and are uncertain regarding specific toxins and carcinogens present at any given structure fire. This bill would change existing workers’ compensation law so that it would be presumed that such diseases were occupationally related unless medical evidence showed otherwise.  Effective Date July 1, 2016.