§23-1-2 Oversight of the workers' compensation commission. - West Virginia Statutes

§23-1-2. Oversight of the workers' compensation commission.
(a) In addition to any other oversight of the commission exercised by the Legislature, the commission shall report at least quarterly to the joint committee on government and finance and the joint commission on economic development. The commission shall collect data and report on claims and injuries and on the costs and outcomes of injuries by standard codes for medical treatment, vocation rehabilitation services, return-to-work services, other benefits payable to or on behalf of employees, efforts to eliminate fraud and abuse and the impact of judicial and quasijudicial rulings on the administration of the workers' compensation system and the solvency of the fund. The workers' compensation commission shall provide to the joint committee on government and finance and the joint commission on economic development an action plan for improving the workers' compensation system. This plan shall include detail on any administrative changes undertaken by the commission, a report on the anticipated outcome of the changes, a cost-benefit analysis of the changes and time frames for commencement and completion of these changes. Subsequent reports to the joint committee on government and finance and the joint commission on economic development shall report on the progress of these changes. The administrative changes shall include, but are not limited to, claims processing, reorganization, staff development and training, return-to-work programs, workplace alternatives for injured workers, safety programs and medical and vocational services.

(b) The commission shall also report on the current status of the workers' compensation fund and the coal-workers' pneumoconiosis fund. This analysis shall include the current balances in the fund and revenue generated and expended in relationship to the liabilities and assets of the funds and estimates of any debt reduction relative to the fund over the next reporting period.

(c) The commission shall further report on the impact on the workers' compensation system of the amendments to subdivision (2), subsection (n), section six, article four of this chapter enacted during the year two thousand three, including, but not limited to, an analysis of any litigation resulting from the amendments and the availability of health care to injured workers resulting from the amendments.

(d) The commission shall further report on methodologies used to establish all types of assessments and rates.

(e) The commission shall further report on legislative action that may be required to further improve the operation of the commission.

(f) The commission shall further report on efforts to eliminate fraud and abuse including a statistical breakdown of investigations being conducted and their outcomes. The commission shall report to the joint committee on government and finance on a monthly basis until the first day of July, two thousand four, on fraud and abuse and quarterly thereafter.