Delaware lawmakers say fee schedule has fallen behind

Lawmakers in Delaware introduced legislation Thursday that would require a one-time 3% increase in the aggregate workers compensation medical fee schedule to correct lagging reimbursements for medical services coded as evaluation and management.

As described in S.B. 164, which was sent to the Senate Labor Committee, the increase is needed because the workers compensation reimbursement rate has fallen below the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services rates. The federal rates were used as a baseline when the state established a fee schedule in 2014.

A summary of the bill describes the proposal as “critical,” as the state needs more physicians to accept and treat worker compensation patients.