House Bill No. 5386, reported by the Committee on Labor and Public Employees, aims to amend Section 31-296 of the general statutes, with an effective date of October 1, 2024. The bill requires employers or their insurers to provide notice to both the administrative law judge and the employee before discontinuing or reducing payments for prescription medication under a workers' compensation claim. The notice must include the reason for the proposed action and the date it will take effect. If an employer or insurer fails to obtain approval before taking such action, they are obligated to pay the employee the full amount of the discontinued or reduced payments, including interest at a rate of 1.25% per month and reasonable attorney's fees incurred by the employee. The bill also specifies that these provisions do not apply when the discontinuation of medication is initiated by the employee's authorized healthcare provider.

The bill further stipulates that employers or insurers must notify the administrative law judge and the employee if they object to the renewal or approval of a prescription drug medication prescribed by the employee's authorized healthcare provider. The notice must be detailed, including the reason for the objection and the date it will begin. The bill also outlines the process for employees to request a hearing within 15 days of receiving the notice to contest the employer's or insurer's action. The Labor and Public Employees Committee has passed the bill with a Joint Favorable vote of 8 yeas to 4 nays on March 19, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 31-296
LAB Joint Favorable: 31-296
File No. 331: 31-296