Public Meeting of the Workers’ Compensation Advisory Board

February 6, 2012

A meeting of the Workers’ Compensation Advisory Board was held on Monday, February 6, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. at the Office of the Chairman, 21 Oak Street, 4th Floor, Hartford, CT.

Minutes

A regular meeting of the Workers’ Compensation Commission Advisory Board was held on February 6, 2012 in the Workers’ Compensation Commission’s CRB Hearing Room, 21 Oak Street, Hartford, Connecticut.

The meeting convened at 10:15 a.m. with the following Board Members present: Acting Chairman Rocco Calo, John Adamson, Michael Dimenstein, Daniel Krause, Gregory Nokes, and Linda Passanisi. Gardner Wright, Theodore Duarte, and Donald Shubert were unable to attend. Also present from the Workers’ Compensation Commission were WCC Chairman John Mastropietro and Marvin Smernoff. Kia Murrell, Esquire, of CBIA, attended as a member of the public.

1. Opening Remarks
1. Acting Chairman Rocco Calo welcomed everyone to the first meeting of the year and turned the meeting over to Chairman John Mastropietro.
2. Chairman Mastropietro’s Update
1. Chairman Mastropietro discussed the Commission’s written response to the Appropriations Committee required under Public Act No. 11-6. He emphasized that the agency’s long-term challenge is its inability to become more technologically advanced due to financial constraints.
2. The Chairman acknowledged Governor Malloy’s recent announcement that a legislative proposal will be submitted by the Governor’s Office to consolidate the Workers’ Compensation Commission into the Department of Labor. The Governor’s budget will be released on February 8, 2012, at which time further details are expected.
3. The Chairman discussed that NCCI reported that there is an unexpected increase in Connecticut’s medical costs resulting from increased office visits and the high costs incurred by pharmaceutical companies from physicians dispensing prescriptions directly to patients from their offices.
4. The Chairman also informed the Board that cases are pending before the Commission on the issue of how actual costs are determined for hospitals. He provided a history of how hospital charges have evolved since 1921 and explained that the term “actual costs” is not currently defined in statute or regulation.
3. Approval of Minutes
1. A motion to approve the November 17, 2011 minutes was made by John Adamson and seconded by Michael Dimenstein. The motion passed unanimously.
4. Adjournment
1. A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Daniel Krause and seconded by John Adamson. The Motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 11:15 a.m.
2. The next regular meeting will be held on March 5, 2012.