The Illinois Orthopaedic Society supports needed reform of the current Illinois Worker’s Compensation system. However, should a worker have the right to seek and receive timely quality medical and surgical care when injured in Illinois? The answer to this question is no, based upon the May 17 Tribune editorial prescribing radical reform of the Illinois worker’s compensation system.
The Illinois Orthopaedic Society believes that cost-efficient, high- quality and timely care for injured workers is best for workers, employers and health-care providers. The Illinois Manufacturers Association is urging the Illinois legislature to support reform legislation that will direct injured workers only to physicians chosen by employers and to redirect much of that care to managed-care organizations.
Managed-care “gatekeepers” are neither the most knowledgeable or best organized to deliver care to injured workers. Many injured workers need specialty care, and nearly 50 percent need orthopaedic care. An injured worker is best treated when there is direct and timely access to a specialist of the worker’s choice. When a worker loses the right to self-direct care, it delays needed specialty care. It increases dissatisfaction and legal costs associated with the injury. Ultimately, it undermines the relationships between workers and employers.
Needed reforms can be best accomplished by convening a “blue-ribbon” conference in which all stakeholders are represented. Through a consensus-building process, responsible reforms can be developed. This process has been used in other states, such as New York, and is more effective than “closed-door” lobbying that may overrepresent the interests of industry and business. The Illinois Orthopaedic Society stands ready to support reform of the Illinois worker’s compensation system if those reforms preserve the rights of injured workers and build upon what is right with the current system.
