Committee presses Division of Industrial Relations on limited lists of treating physicians for first responders

Senators and assembly members pressed the Division of Industrial Relations on Jan. 1 about access to specialists for injured first responders under Nevada's workers' compensation system. Members cited difficulties for Northern Nevada first responders who must travel to Southern Nevada to see specialists.

"We are auditing our list of treating physicians on a monthly basis with a special emphasis on the cardiologists and pulmonologists," Victoria Carrion, administrator of the Division of Industrial Relations, told the committee. She said DIR is conducting outreach to encourage more doctors to join the master panel and recently hired a new chief of its medical unit whose duties will include recruitment.

Vice Chair Julie Pizzina raised the short supply of specialty providers — "there's maybe only one [ENT] available and it's in Southern Nevada" — and asked whether claimants may see doctors of their choosing. Carrion explained the statutory framework: DIR maintains a master treating panel and insurers select doctors from that panel, but SB376 created a heart-and-lung exception for first responders.

Maria Atkinson, the Nevada Attorney for Injured Workers, said appeals often succeed after initial denials and emphasized the importance of educating claimants on the claim process so they do not make procedural errors early in claims that later harm their cases. "The decisions and settlement and wins, apply to cases that are, 1 at hearing and also cases that are settled on behalf of the injured worker," Atkinson said when describing recent wins.

DIR told the committee it has authority to investigate and resolve complaints by physicians who do not receive timely payment, and it has two investigators within its medical unit assigned to that work. Members requested that DIR continue recruitment and report back on progress and any recommended statutory changes to improve access.