Overhaul of work comp system advances

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A bill to revamp the workers' compensation system in Oklahoma has passed the state Senate in surprisingly easyfashion. <br><br>Tuesday's vote was 45-3 for Senate Bill 1606,

Wednesday, March 15th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A bill to revamp the workers' compensation system in Oklahoma has passed the state Senate in surprisingly easyfashion.

Tuesday's vote was 45-3 for Senate Bill 1606, which would replace the Workers' Compensation Court with an administrative process. The measure now goes to the House for consideration and is likely to wind up in a joint conference committee for final work.

The current system was condemned by supporters of Sen. Scott Pruitt's bill as mainly benefitting doctors and lawyers. Opponents said it is weighted toward employers' interests over that of workers.

Voting against the plan were Sens. Gene Stipe, D-McAlester, Paul Muegge, D-Tonkawa and Bernest Cain, D-Oklahoma City.

Pruitt, R-Broken Arrow, said his bill is an attempt to get at the root cause of why Oklahoma has a costly system that is hurting economic development.

He said that under the state's adversarial process, the employees and employers are subservient to the system.

"I tell you senators, something's not right" with the process, Pruitt said, citing statistics showing Oklahoma employers pay high insurance rates and workers get fewer benefits than most other states.

Oklahoma is one of only three states that relies on a court system to administer workers' compensation claims. The others areT ennessee and Nebraska.

Stipe was among those blaming high medical costs -- and not attorney fees -- for high insurance rates, instead of attorneys.

He said business groups such as the state Chamber of Commerce were pushing Pruitt's plan and "it is not a balanced bill."

"I believe the system works much better than the perception," said Sen. Brad Henry, D-Shawnee, who cited cost cutting from previous work comp reform measures. He said he is concerned Pruitt's bill could actually increase costs by "adding another layer to the process."

Sen. Owen Laughlin, R-Woodward, said the system rewards legal firms that are located in Oklahoma City and do big-volume business, but at a high cost to the system and little benefit to employees.

Sen. Lewis Long, D-Glenpool, voted for the bill, but said he was "reluctant to think it's going to help the working people." He said a major cost concern not being addressed is safety programs that employers are "too damn cheap" to put in place.

Sen. Dave Herbert, D-Midwest City, said Oklahoma's system is plagued by fraudulent claims. He called the measure "a breath of fresh air."

Under the current system, there are 10 workers' compensation judges who preside over cases in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

Pruitt's bill creates an Employee Assistance Administrator Program to help employees and employers resolve claims. The current court system would be replaced by an administrative system of mediators and magistrates who would guide parties through the system.

Mediators would be located throughout the state, causing claims to be processed faster and getting benefits to the injured workers sooner, Pruitt said.