Notice of Three-Member Panel Meeting

Amended July 2, 2018:

To: All Self-Insurers, Insurers, Claim Administrators, and Medical Service Providers

From: Florida Division of Workers' Compensation

Subject: Notice of Three-Member Panel Meeting

The Three-Member Panel meeting that was scheduled for Friday, July 6, 2018 has been cancelled.

The Three-Member Panel will reconvene at a later date at which time a meeting notice will be published in a future E-Alert and in the Florida Administrative Register.

Original post below:

On June 26, 2018, The Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Workers' Compensation announced a public meeting of the Three-Member Panel that will be held on Friday, July 6, 2018, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., eastern time, in room 116 of the J. Edwin Larson Building, located at 200 East Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida.

The purpose of the meeting is to approve maximum reimbursement allowances for inpatient hospital care based upon a new schedule of per diem rates, pursuant to s. 440.13(12), F.S., which will be included in the Hospital Reimbursement Manual, 2018 edition. The Three-Member Panel will receive public comment and testimony. Special Note: the maximum reimbursement allowances for outpatient hospital care will not change and are those that were approved by the Three-Member Panel at its April 10, 2018, public meeting.

Three-Member Panel Meeting Agenda and Meeting Packet is available here, under the Notices tab.

The official Notice of this meeting appeared in Volume 44, Number 124 of the Florida Administrative Weekly, published on June 26, 2018.

If you have questions about the contents of this notice, please contact Theresa Pugh, Program Administrator, Medical Services Section, Division of Workers' Compensation at (850) 413-1721 or Theresa.Pugh@myfloridacfo.com.

Florida DFS Clarifies Reimbursement Manual Status

The Division of Workers' Compensation has received inquiries about the status of the 2017 editions of the three reimbursement manuals. A status of each reimbursement manual is provided below. 

The Florida Workers' Compensation Health Care Provider Reimbursement Manual, 2017 Edition was not ratified during the 2018 Florida Legislative Session and will not go in effect. Consequently, the 2016 edition remains in effect.

The Florida Workers' Compensation Reimbursement Manual for Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs), 2017 Edition was not ratified during the 2018 Florida Legislative Session and will not go in effect. Consequently, the 2015 edition remains in effect.

The Florida Workers' Compensation Reimbursement Manual for Hospitals, 2017 Edition was not ratified during the 2018 Florida Legislative Session and will not go in effect. Consequently, the 2014 edition remains in effect.

The reimbursement manuals can found on the Division's website at https://myfloridacfo.com/Division/WC/PublicationsFormsManualsReports/Manuals/.

DFS Announces Assessment Rates

The Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) issued an Informational Bulletin (DFS-02-2018). The Bulletin advises insurers, self-insurers, and other related stakeholders that Florida's Chief Financial Officer has issued an Order (Case No. 226968-WC) setting the WCATF assessment rate for Calendar Year 2019. This rate has been reduced from the 2018 rate of 0.97% to the 2019 assessment rate of 0.90%. This is the seventh consecutive annual assessment rate decrease for the WCATF. 

The Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Workers' Compensation issued another Informational Bulletin (DFS-01-2018). The Bulletin advises insurers, self-insurers, and other related stakeholders that Florida's Chief Financial Officer has issued an Order (Case No. 226970-WC) setting the assessment rate for the SDTF for Calendar Year 2019. The SDTF rate has been reduced from the 2018 rate of 0.91% to the 2019 assessment rate of 0.42%. This is the ninth consecutive annual assessment rate decrease for the SDTF.