The bill seeks to repeal sections 287.067 and 287.120 of the Missouri Revised Statutes and introduces four new sections focused on workers' compensation occupational disease presumptions specifically for first responders. It defines "occupational disease" as identifiable diseases arising from employment and stipulates that compensable injuries or deaths due to these diseases must have occupational exposure as the prevailing factor. The bill recognizes certain conditions, such as repetitive motion injuries and loss of hearing from industrial noise, as compensable. It also establishes presumptions for specific diseases, including cancer and heart-related conditions, for firefighters and fire investigators under certain criteria. Additionally, the bill outlines a process for first responders to claim benefits for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and mandates insurance carriers and self-insured employers to report cancer-related claims for transparency and data collection. An annual report summarizing claims data must be prepared and submitted to stakeholders, with the first report due by August 28, 2028. The bill also sets new requirements for employers and insurance carriers to respond to claims within thirty days, imposing penalties for unreasonable delays or rejections, which can amount to five times the benefits in question, capped at fifty thousand dollars. These provisions apply to all claims filed on or after the effective date of the new section.

Statutes affected:
Introduced (5373H.01): 287.067, 287.068, 287.069, 287.120