Garamendi Backs WC Reforms

California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi Wednesday urged state lawmakers to pass several measures that would reform California’s troubled workers compensation system. One bill, S.B. 328, would base injured-worker treatment costs on a Medicare/Medi-Cal fee schedule. The bill, which aims to promote consistency and predictability of costs, “represents a major step forward in containing medical costs,” Mr. Garamendi told California’s Assembly Insurance Committee. Currently, statewide fee schedules do not exist for some medical services. Sen. Richard Alarcon, D-San Fernando Valley, introduced S.B. 328 in February. The measure, which has broad employer support, is scheduled for a May 5 hearing by the Senate Appropriations Committee.