Illinois lawmakers are considering bills that would nix the state’s workers compensation fee schedule in 2026 and replace it with another, and add guidelines in workers comp code on attorney’s fee for arbitrated claims.
H.B. 2840, introduced Wednesday, would make existing medical fee schedules inoperative after Aug. 31, 2026, and calls on the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission to establish a new medical fee schedule applicable on and after Sept. 1, 2026, in accordance with specified criteria, outlined in the bill.
Such criteria include region-specific charges for hospital systems.
S.B. 1503, introduced Tuesday, states that if an injured person’s claim is contested and enters arbitration proceedings, the arbitrator award should include pre-settlement interest at the rate of 6% per annum to a prevailing party from the date of the contested injury. Under the bill, no interest would accrue if, within 12 months after the date of the injury, the respondent concedes that the claim is compensable.
The bill also states the non-prevailing party is responsible for any costs incurred in deposing a medical practitioner.
This article was first published in Business Insurance.
