Workers’ compensation measures to get thorough study in the interim
NFIB/Nebraska State Director Bob Hallstrom reports from Lincoln on the small-business agenda for the legislative week ending May 12.
Lawmakers adjourned May 11, with the session finish line in clear view. Speaker of the Legislature Jim Scheer has announced his intention for the Legislature to complete its activities by day 86, allowing the body to adjourn sine die May 23. Much work remains to be done, as Gov. Pete Ricketts has indicated that he will exercise his line-item veto authority to make additional spending cuts in the state budget.
State Budget
The Legislature has given final approval to the package of budget bills. After a few tense moments in which one of the budget bills (Legislative Bill 331) initially failed to garner the 33 votes required to pass with the emergency clause, all appropriation measures ultimately received sufficient support to go into effect immediately. While additional budget cuts may result from the governor’s use of his veto pen, Appropriations Committee Chairman John Stinner noted during floor debate that more than $750 million in spending cuts were made to the $8.9 billion state budget.
Workers’ Compensation Interim Study
While the Business and Labor Committee failed to take action on any of the pending workers’ compensation bills, two interim study resolutions relating to these measures will be addressed by the committee over the interim.
Sen. John Lowe (Kearney), along with four other members of the Business and Labor Committee (Senators Albrecht, Halloran, Crawford, and Howard) are the sponsors of Legislative Resolution 168, which is designed to examine the feasibility of adopting a workers’ compensation drug formulary. The committee will consider the following issues:
- Whether prescribing practices in workers’ compensation cases affect or contribute to the prescription opioid problem
- Whether the use of a drug formulary would result in more efficient delivery of medications, provide workers with reasonable and necessary care and treatment, and reduce utilization of habit-forming opioids and narcotics
- The extent to which use of a workers’ compensation drug formulary would provide savings in workers’ compensation claims
- Whether the use of a drug formulary can decrease the length of disability for injured workers and increase return-to-work rates and outcomes
- Whether a workers’ compensation drug formulary, if adopted, should cover all prescription drugs or be limited to only controlled substances or only opioids.
It is particularly promising that a majority of the Business and Labor Committee has signed on to LR 168. NFIB is hopeful that the results of the interim study will lead to a legislative proposal acceptable to a majority of the committee members for action next session.
Two similar interim study resolutions, Legislative Resolution 183, introduced by Sen. Joni Albrecht (Thurston), and Legislative Resolution 201, introduced by Sen. Lou Ann Linehan (Elkhorn), will analyze and review reimbursement rates for ambulatory surgical centers and outpatient hospitals with respect to workers’ compensation services in Nebraska. The intent of this study is to determine the effectiveness of current billing and reimbursement methods and to examine the potential benefits of adding such services to existing fee schedules for other medical service providers under the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Act.
NFIB members interested in participating in meetings or testifying at hearings that may be held in connection with either or both of these interim study resolutions should call Bob Hallstrom at 402-432-3280.
Previous Reports and Related News Releases
May 5 Report—Nebraska Tax Reform Looking Dead for the Year
April 28 Report—Revised State Revenue Projections Force Budget Re-think
April 21 Report—Tax-Relief Measure Likely to Face Filibuster
April 14 Report—Gov. Ricketts, Top Senators Meet With NFIB Members
April 7—Tax Relief Bill Advances to Floor of Nebraska Senate
March 31 Report—Governor Signs NFIB-Backed UI Bill Into Law
March 30 News Release—State Small Business Owners to Convene in Lincoln
March 24 Report—NFIB-Backed UI Reform Bill Passes Nebraska Legislature
March 17 Report—Bill Targeting Unemployment Insurance Abusers Advances
March 10 Report—NFIB Members Rally to Kill Bad Workers’ Comp. Bill
March 3 Report—Senators Given Grim Revenue Forecast
February 24 Report—Nebraska Legislature Designates its Priority Bills
February 17 Report—Legislators Propose Expanding Sales Tax to Sales
February 10 Report—NFIB-Backed Unemployment Bill Advances
February 3 Report—Governor’s Tax Relief Bill Coming Up For First Hearing
January 30 News Release—Comment on Governor’s Press Conference, Today
January 27 Report—NFIB Fighting Habitual Abusers of Unemployment Insurance
January 20 Report—Bill Introduction Period Expires in Nebraska Legislature
January 13 Report—Bill Introductions Less Than Normal in Nebraska Legislature
January 12 News Release—Comment on Today’s State-of-the-State Address
January 6 Report—Nebraska Legislature Opens for Business
[Tile photo of Speaker Jim Scheer courtesy of the Nebraska Unicameral Information Office.]
