NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES RELATING TO FEES FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT AND SERVICES IN THE REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Alaska Workers’ Compensation Board, proposes to change regulations relating to fees for medical treatment and services.

The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Alaska Workers’ Compensation Board, proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 8 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with fees for medical treatment and services, including the following:

(1)        8 AAC 45.083 is proposed to be amended to update and clarify the medical fee schedule and material adopted by reference for treatment and services provided to injured workers.

You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Workers’ Compensation at P.O. Box 115512, Juneau, AK  99811-5512.  Additionally, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Workers’ Compensation will accept comments by facsimile at (907) 465-2797 and by electronic mail at workerscompregs@alaska.gov. Comments may also be submitted through the Alaska Online Public Notice System, by accessing this notice on the system and using the comment link. The comments must be received not later than 5:00p.m. on September 28, 2020.

You may provide oral comments relevant to the proposed action via telephone or videoconference at the hearing to be held on October 1, 2020, by calling 800-315-6338, access code 92019, or to obtain the video conference link please contact Alexis Newman at (907) 465-6059 or alexis.newman@alaska.gov. Due to public health and safety concerns associated with the COVID – 19 pandemic, there will not be in-person attendance provided at the hearing site, so please prepare to share your oral comments by telephone or video only.  Public comment will be heard from 10:15am to 11:15am, and might be extended to accommodate those present before 10:15am who did not have an opportunity to comment. Prior to the start of the hearing, the Chair of the Board, Charles Collins, may limit the time allotted for each person providing oral testimony, as reasonably necessary to conclude the hearing in the time provided.

You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Workers’ Compensation at P.O. Box 115512, Juneau, AK  99811-5512 or by electronic mail at workerscompregs@alaska.gov.  The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period. The Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Workers’ Compensation will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and responses available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and the Division of Workers’ Compensation’s website.

If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact Alexis Newman at (907) 465-6059 or alexis.newman@alaska.gov not later than September 18, 2020 to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.

A copy of the proposed regulation changes is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and by contacting Alexis Newman at (907) 465-6059 or alexis.newman@alaska.gov.

After the public comment period ends, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulation may be different from that of the proposed regulation. You should comment during the time allowed if your interests could be affected.

Statutory authority: AS 23.30.005; AS 23.30.240

Statutes being implemented, interpreted, or made specific: AS 23.30.005; AS 23.30.097; AS 23.30.098

Fiscal information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.

8/27/2020
/S/
Dr. Tamika L. Ledbetter, Commissioner
Department of Labor and Workforce Development