SB 1551
Initials PB Page 1 House Engrossed
ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Fifty-seventh Legislature
First Regular Session
Senate: FIN DP 6-1-0-0 | 3
rd
Read 24-3-3-0
House: COM DPA 9-1-0-0
SB 1551: workers' compensation; disability; definitions
Sponsor: Senator Leach, LD 17
House Engrossed
Overview
Revises the schedule of fees relating to workers' compensation.
History
The Industrial Commission of Arizona (ICA) administers and enforces state laws relating to
the protection of life, health, safety and welfare of Arizona's employees, including workers'
compensation. Worker’s compensation insurance provides coverage of medical costs,
rehabilitation and lost wages for an employee who has suffered injury or illness in the course
of performing job related duties (Title 23, Chapter 6, A.R.S.).
Every employer and physician who attends an injured employee of that employer must file a
full and complete report of every known injury to the employee arising out of or in the course
of employment and resulting in the loss of life or injury with the ICA and the employer's
insurance carrier from time to time. The ICA must fix a schedule of fees to be charged by
physicians, physical therapists or occupational therapists attending injured employees and
for prescriptions required to treat an injured employee. The ICA must annually review the
schedule of fees (A.R.S. § 23-908).
An employee who is injured by accident arising out of and in the course of employment
receives a statutorily fixed compensation based on the employee's average monthly wage. For
temporary total disability, the compensation is 66.67% of their average monthly wage for the
period of disability with an additional allowance of $25 per month for employee's with
dependents (A.R.S. §§ 23-1041, 20-1044).
Provisions
1. Requires the schedule of fees for workers' compensation to include fees to be charged by
providers of health care, dental care and supplies for injured employees. (Sec. 2)
2. Exempts contracts that are necessary to develop and publish a fee schedule related to
dental care from the requirements of the State Procurement Code. (Sec. 2)
3. Instructs the ICA to publish the schedule of fees on its website. (Sec. 2)
4. Adds that the ICA is not required to publish the schedule of fees in the Arizona
Administrative Register. (Sec. 2)
5. Increases, from $25 to $100, the monthly dependent allowance provided to an employee
in addition to compensation for a temporary total disability. (Sec. 3)
☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note SB 1551
Initials PB Page 2 House Engrossed
6. Modifies the definition of interest party to include the third-party administrator or an
authorized representative of a deceased employee. (Sec. 1)
7. Modifies the definition of serve or service to include transmitting by electronic
transmission in a manner reasonably calculated to achieve effective notice unless the
receiving party opts out by providing written notice to the other party. (Sec. 1)
8. Adds that the increase to the monthly dependent allowance applies only to claims that
are filed on or after the effective date. (Sec. 4)