LEGISLATIVE ALERT – Paying IL WC Medical Bills Quickly is in Your Best “Interest”

11.28.2018 Blog

On November 27, 2018, the Illinois House of Representatives overrode Governor Rauner’s veto of SB904.  The bill is effective immediately. SB904 requires employers and insurers to pay interest to medical providers at 1% per month, allows providers to bring a cause of action in circuit court to collect interest, requires employers and insurers to send to the provider an explanations of benefits, implements electronic billing rules, and imposes penalties upon employers and insurers for failing to comply with the electronic claims process.

The text of the bill is below.

Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Workers’ Compensation Act in relation to fees and electronic claims. Requires a provider to bill an employer or its designee directly. Provides that the employer or the insurer must send to the provider an explanation of benefits. Requires employers and insurers to pay interest to providers at the rate of 1% per month for services rendered on and after the effective date of this amendatory Act if the bill is not paid promptly. Authorizes providers to bring an action in circuit court to enforce the payment procedures with regard to services rendered on and after the effective date of this amendatory Act. Requires the Director of Insurance to adopt rules to ensure that providers have the opportunity to comply with requests for records by employers and insurers. Imposes penalties upon employers and insurers that fail to comply with the electronic claims process. Effective immediately.

 

The NBKL blog is provided for informational purposes; we are not giving legal advice or creating an attorney/client relationship by providing this information.  Before relying on any legal information of a general nature, you may consider consulting legal counsel as to your particular facts and applications of the law.