House Bill No. by Representative Melerine aims to amend and reenact various provisions of Louisiana's workers' compensation laws, specifically addressing maximum medical improvement, income benefits, misrepresentation of benefits, and the rehabilitation of injured employees. The bill introduces a definition for "maximum medical improvement" (MMI), clarifying that it refers to a condition unlikely to improve substantially with or without medical treatment. It also stipulates that temporary total disability benefits will cease when an employee reaches MMI, with a maximum duration of 156 weeks for these benefits. Additionally, the bill reduces the maximum duration for supplemental earnings benefits from 520 weeks to 416 weeks and establishes that all income benefits will terminate when the employee reaches the age of 75 or five years after their injury, whichever is later.

Furthermore, the bill enhances the provisions regarding the misrepresentation of benefits, stating that willfully making false statements to obtain or defeat benefits is unlawful, and clarifies that the elements required to establish fraud are exclusive. It also emphasizes the importance of vocational rehabilitation services for injured employees, defining the goal as returning them to suitable gainful employment with minimal retraining. The bill mandates that these services be provided by licensed professionals and outlines the responsibilities of employers in selecting vocational rehabilitation counselors. Overall, the proposed changes aim to streamline the workers' compensation process and ensure better support for injured employees.

Statutes affected:
HB1101 Original: 23:1021, 23:1208(A), 23:1221, 23:1226(A)