The Louisiana Legislature has opened its 2012 Legislative Session in Baton Rouge. There are several major reform packages proposed to the Legislature, but the most insulting to injured workers is the workers’ compensation reform package as proposed by big business and insurance companies. These changes will substantially erode the already limited rights of the injured.
One of the proposed changes involves eliminating the right of the injured worker to choose her own treating physician. The employer or the insurance company would be able to directly dictate who you are allowed to treat with for your injuries. Isn’t that offensive on every level? Can you think of a more basic right that an injured worker should have? In a system already dominated and controlled by insurance companies, this proposed change is terrible and would leave the injured worker powerless. The right of the injured worker to choose her own doctor must be protected!
But that’s not all the insurance companies want to change. The greedy tactics do not end there.
They also propose to limit the way in which doctors can treat your injury. They want to eliminate the right to choose the pharmacy of your choice. They want to reduce already ridiculously low wage loss benefits. They want to further delay the appeals process.
Please contact your Representatives and Senators by clicking HERE and entering your address. That website will tell you the name of your particular legislators. Contact them and tell them that you are opposed to these offensive proposals. The most outrageous bills that we are opposed to are House Bill 885/Senate Bill 613, House Bill 930/Senate Bill 602 and House Bill 959/Senate Bill 560. Please also contact the House of Representative Labor and Industrial Relations Committee as well as the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee and tell them to vote NO to these proposed bills. Send emails. Leave phone messages. Send faxes.
Then call 10 people and urge them to do the same! Together we can protect the hardworking citizens of Louisiana.
