Workers' Compensation Board
OFFICE OF THE CHAIR
328 State Street Schenectady, New York 12305
Subject No. 046-516
Medical Treatment Guideline (MTG) Program Improvements Go Live
Date: March 1, 2013
Effective today, March 1, 2013, the Medical Treatment Guideline Program (MTG) improvements, which include the second edition of the Medical Treatment Guidelines originally published in 2010, the adoption of new Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Medical Treatment Guidelines, and a new maintenance care program, become mandatory for dates of service on or after March 1, 2013.
The Guidelines set forth the recommended standard of care for treatment of workplace injuries based upon established medical evidence. The Guidelines are also designed to encourage accelerated delivery of quality medical services to injured workers, reduce disputes, and prevent ineffective treatment.
The MTG program changes will achieve the following:
- Enable parties to more easily choose resolution by the Medical Director's Office, which provides faster and less costly dispute resolution;
- Clarify and simplify transmission requirements that were resulting in rejection of thousands of variance requests for technical violations;
- Allow carriers to partially grant variance requests, thereby expediting care and reducing litigation;
- Eliminate submission of duplicate variance requests;
- Reduce the number of procedures requiring C-4 Authorization, and
- Authorize submission of variance requests through a web-based portal or other technology in the future, should it become available.
Free Online Training Available
It is essential for medical providers, carriers, attorneys, and their respective staff members to become familiar with the MTG program changes. Free, Medical Treatment Guidelines Training is available online on the Board's website. I encourage all system participants to take advantage of this available training. Courses associated with CME credits have been re-certified and may be taken again for full credit.
Forms
Final Medical Treatment Guidelines Forms are available on the Board's website with all parties expected to begin use of these revised final forms on March 1, 2013. Older versions of Form MG-2 will not be accepted after May 1, 2013.
Certification by Carriers
Carriers are required to certify they have fully implemented the MTG program changes by May 1, 2013. A carrier's Medical Treatment Guidelines Administrator can certify electronically via Medical Treatment Guidelines Carrier Registration on the Board's website using the Administrator's login process and choosing Carrier Options and Certification.
Questions and Additional Information
Please contact the Board's Medical Director's Office at (800) 781-2362 if you have any questions regarding the Medical Treatment Guidelines. Additional information on the additions and improvements, as well as updated frequently asked questions, may also be found on the Board's website under Medical Treatment Guideline Program. Final versions of the Guidelines are also available on the website. Revised versions of the Knee, Mid-Lower Back, and Neck guidelines were published on February 22, 2013. The revised versions correct the heading numbering in the Knee Guideline, pages 25-33, the Mid-Lower Back on page 32, and the Neck Guideline, page 33. No other substantive changes were made to the Knee, Mid-Lower Back, and Neck Guideline. Those who previously printed or incorporated an earlier version of the Knee, Mid-Lower Back, or Neck Injury MTGs can simply replace the pages noted above.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Robert E. Beloten
Chair
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