Assembly Bill 232 proposes a significant restructuring of Wisconsin's workers' compensation system by transferring adjudicatory functions from the Division of Hearings and Appeals (DHA) to the Department of Workforce Development (DWD). The bill includes the repeal of several statutes related to the DHA and amends various sections to reflect this transfer, changing references from "division" to "department." This consolidation aims to streamline the workers' compensation process, ensuring that all claims and appeals are managed by the DWD, which is expected to enhance efficiency and clarity for both claimants and employers.

Furthermore, the bill introduces amendments regarding the determination of the necessity and reasonableness of treatment and prescription drug charges for injured employees. It empowers the DWD to obtain expert opinions on treatment necessity in disputes and allows the department to deny payment for unnecessary treatments. Additionally, it clarifies the process for disputes over prescription drug charges, enabling the department to assess the reasonableness of costs and deny payment for those deemed excessive. The amendments remove references to the division in these contexts, consolidating decision-making authority within the DWD.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 40.65(2)(b)3, 40.65, 40.65(2)(b)4, 102.01(2)(ad), 102.01, 102.01(2)(dm), 102.04(2r)(b), 102.04, 102.07(8)(c), 102.07, 102.12, 102.13(1)(c), 102.13, 102.13(1)(d)2, 102.13(1)(d)3, 102.13(1)(f), 102.13(2)(a), 102.13(3), 102.13(4), 102.13(5), 102.14(title), 102.14, 102.14(1), 102.14(2), 102.15(1)(b), 102.15, 102.16(1), 102.16, 102.16(1m)(a), 102.16(1m)(b), 102.16(1m)(c), 102.16(2)(a)
Text as Enrolled: 40.65(2)(b)3, 40.65, 40.65(2)(b)4, 102.01(2)(ad), 102.01, 102.01(2)(dm), 102.04(2r)(b), 102.04, 102.07(8)(c), 102.07, 102.12, 102.13(1)(c), 102.13, 102.13(1)(d)2, 102.13(1)(d)3, 102.13(1)(f), 102.13(2)(a), 102.13(3), 102.13(4), 102.13(5), 102.14(title), 102.14, 102.14(1), 102.14(2), 102.15(1)(b), 102.15, 102.16(1), 102.16, 102.16(1m)(a), 102.16(1m)(b), 102.16(1m)(c), 102.16(2)(a), 102.16(2)(b), 102.16(2m)(a), 102.16(2m)(b), 102.16(4), 102.17(1)(a)1, 102.17