Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation
Information Bulletin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
November 22, 2002 Christine Baker
(415) 703-4220

CHSWC Issues Report and Plans for Future Studies of
California’s Health, Safety and Workers’ Compensation Systems

SAN FRANCISCO -- The California Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation (CHSWC) has released its plans for future studies and issued a report concerning the treating physician presumption in assessing permanent disability for workers’ compensation.

At its meeting on November 20, 2002, CHSWC voted to approve the "CHSWC Strategic Plan", in development throughout this past year to address the impact of AB 749, which makes significant changes to the workers’ compensation system effective January 1, 2003, including increased responsibilities for the Commission.

CHSWC also approved a contract with the Hays Companies, which was selected through the state’s Request for Proposals competitive bidding process to conduct a study on the California workers’ compensation insurance market.

A report entitled "Doctors and Courts: Do Legal Decisions Affect Medical Treatment Practice? An Evaluation of Treating Physician Presumption in the California Workers’ Compensation System", prepared by the University of California on behalf of CHSWC, was approved for issuance. The findings from that report were the basis for CHSWC’s recommendation to the Legislature to reconsider the presumption of correctness. AB 749 repealed the presumption.

CHSWC is charged with overseeing the health and safety and workers' compensation systems in California and recommending administrative or legislative modifications to improve their operation. The Commission was established to conduct a continuing examination of the workers' compensation system and of the state's activities to prevent industrial injuries and occupational diseases and to examine those programs in other states.

Since its inception in 1994, CHSWC has held meetings, conducted fact-finding hearings, and directed several studies to determine how these crucial programs are serving California employees and employers. These studies, conducted by independent research organizations under contract with CHSWC, and other activities were aided by the involvement of state agency personnel and interested members of the workers’ compensation community. This cooperative public-private partnership continues to work together to identify, describe, measure and propose solutions to problems and difficulties in the current health and safety and workers’ compensation systems.

CHSWC’s 2001-2002 Annual Report and other publications are available at CHSWC’s home page at www.dir.ca.gov/chswc. A copy of those reports may be obtained at no charge by writing to the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation, 455 Golden Gate Avenue, 10th Floor, San Francisco, California 94102, by calling (415) 703-4220, by faxing a request to (415) 703-4234, or by emailing chswc@dir.ca.gov.


For any questions regarding this bulletin, please contact:
Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation (CHSWC)
455 Golden Gate Avenue, 10th Floor, San Francisco,  CA  94102
Email:  chswc@dir.ca.gov     Phone:  (415) 703-4220    Fax:  (415) 703-4234     Contact Person:  Christine Baker

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