HOUSE AMENDMENT Bill No. HB 25A
1	CHAMBER ACTION
2	Senate House
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12	Representative Seiler offered the following:
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14	Amendment (with directory and title amendments)
15	Remove line(s) 3929-3944, and insert:
16	Section 22. Section 440.191, Florida Statutes, is amended
17	to read:
18	(Substantial rewording of section. See s. 440.191,
19	F.S. for present text.)
20	440.191 Early Intervention Office.--The Early Intervention
21	Office is created within the department in order to facilitate
22	the self-executing features of the workers’ compensation law and
23	to conduct early intervention programs.
24	(1) The primary responsibility of the Early Intervention
25	Office is to provide information to education employees,
26	employers, carriers and health care providers about their
27	rights, responsibilities and obligations under this chapter and
28	to facilitate the avoidance or resolution of disagreements as
29	provided in this section.
30	(2) Upon receiving a notice of injury that results in a
31	lost-time case, or upon obtaining by any other means knowledge
32	that a lost-time case has occurred, the Early Intervention
33	Office shall initiate contact with the injured employer by mail
34	or telephone to provide information concerning his or her
35	rights, responsibilities and obligations, unless a petition for
36	benefits has been filed for that date of accident. The Early
37	Intervention Office shall facilitate access to its services
38	through the establishment of a toll-free hot line.
39	(3) The Early Intervention Office may contact and assist
40	the parties in avoiding or resolving any disagreement regarding
41	the benefits under this chapter upon request for assistance from
42	an injured worker, provider, employer, or carrier indicating
43	that a potential disagreement regarding the provision of
44	benefits under this chapter exists. Such assistance may only be
45	rendered when there is no petition for benefits filed for that
46	date of accident.
47	(4) The Early Intervention Office may obtain and review
48	documents, conduct interviews and conferences, and collect other
49	information necessary to assist the office in facilitating the
50	resolution of the disagreement. All parties shall cooperate with
51	the Early Intervention Office. Failure of a party to provide
52	information pursuant to this subsection constitutes failure to
53	comply with s. 440.185(5)(c). Upon request, all parties shall
54	provide requested documents or participate in an interview or
55	conference within 7 calendar days after the request.
56	(5) If, in the course of carrying out its duties as set
57	forth in this section, the Early Intervention Office identifies
58	that a party has failed to comply with this chapter, the office
59	shall refer the failure to comply to the appropriate regulator.
60	(6) The dollar value of any benefits that are provided or
61	secured as a result of the Early Intervention Office’s
62	facilitation efforts may not be included in any subsequent award
63	pursuant to s. 440.34(2).
64	(7) The department may adopt rules to specify forms and
65	procedures for administering this section.
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67	============= D I R E C T O R Y A M E N D M E N T =============
68	Remove line(s) 3907-3909, and insert:
69	Section 21. Subsection (9) of section 440.185, Florida
70	Statutes, is amended to read:
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72	================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T =================
73	Between lines 60 and 61, insert:
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75	amending s. 440.191, F.S.; providing for the creation of
76	the Early Intervention Office in lieu of the Employee
77	Assistance; providing responsibilities of the office;
78	providing rule adoption authority to the Department of
79	Financial Services;