Our 43rd annual edition will go to press in December. Since the last edition the Division of Workers’ Compensation underwent the sunset review process. The next review will be in 2017 Many of the Sunset Advisory Commission recommendations were adopted. The Legislature adopted or amended over 50 statutory sections. Significant changes were made to the designated doctor selection process, both the medical and indemnity dispute resolution process, and the administrative penalty process. Fines for late payment of benefits have increased significantly.

Since completion of its massive rule-making undertaking in December of last year, and pending the outcome of the legislative session, the Division was fairly quiet in terms of new rules in the Spring and Summer of 2011. However, it did adopt amendments to Chapters 133 (E-Billing), 134 (Medical State Reporting Rules), and 136.1 (Vocational Rehabilitation). We anticipate several new rule projects to be completed by the time the Manual goes to press. These are expected to include synchronization of key portions of workers’ compensation bill processing, voluntary certification, preauthorization, and concurrent review with the with Chapter 19 of the Texas Department of Insurance rules, as well as implementation of the 2011 legislative changes.

The Appeals Panel, however, has continued to issue significant decisions. We are also seeing more and more Court of Appeals cases involving Workers’ Compensation. Additionally, the Supreme Court has issued several recent opinions interpreting the Workers’ Compensation Act. Some of these have changed long-standing doctrines.

Between the legislative changes in 2011, and the amendments or creation of nearly 50 rules in the last year, one can safely assert that older editions of the Manual are obsolete. Hardly a day goes by that we do not receive a question that has a different answer than in the past as a result of all of these changes.

Given the significant increase in penalties and push by the Division to investigate and pursue violations against all system participants, as well as the proliferation in attempts to pursue extra-contractual remedies, it is more important than ever that one has a concise, consolidated, and current access to the law. The 43rd annual edition of the Texas Workers’ Compensation Manual fills this role better than any other source.

We have continuously published the Texas Workers’ Compensation Manual for 43 years. The 43rd edition of the Texas Workers’ Compensation Manual is the only one-stop resource that includes all of these changes, with expert commentary unavailable from any other source. If you are still relying on an edition that is even only two years old, then you do not have the tools you need to successfully navigate through this increasingly difficult area of practice.

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