House Bill No. by Representative Mena amends R.S. 23:1203.1(J)(1) to specifically exclude requests for authorizations for prescription drugs from the existing workers' compensation procedures. Under current law, payors are required to notify medical providers of their action on authorization requests within five business days and allow aggrieved parties to appeal disputes regarding recommended care within fifteen calendar days. The medical director or associate medical director must then render a decision within thirty calendar days.

The proposed amendment clarifies that the outlined procedures do not apply to prescription drug authorization requests, thereby streamlining the process for these specific cases. This change aims to simplify the authorization process for prescription medications within the workers' compensation framework, while retaining the existing provisions for other medical treatments.

Statutes affected:
HB1047 Original: 23:1(J)(1)