(1) The legislature finds that the department is successfully addressing employer fraud and the underground economy, helping ensure that employers who appropriately report and pay premiums can be competitive. Efforts focus on prevention, education, and enforcement by identifying industries for targeted audits, informing industry members and providing the opportunity for voluntary compliance, and ultimately identifying employers for audit based on proven criteria.

     (2) To ensure the appropriate use of workers' compensation funds, the legislature directs the department of labor and industries to continue applying these proven best practices to employer fraud and to apply the same best practices to address instances of worker and provider fraud, including but not limited to:

     (a) Participating in a national information exchange with other workers' compensation insurers to avoid duplication of claims and benefits;

     (b) Increasing public awareness of employer, worker, and provider fraud issues and how to report suspected fraud;

     (c) Establishing criteria for the periodic review of total permanent disability pension recipients including their level of disability and physical activity to determine whether they can be gainfully employed; and

     (d) Identifying provider billing patterns to target potentially abusive practices.

     (3) The provisions of RCW 51.28.070 shall not be a barrier to the department's participation in a national information exchange as required in subsection (2)(a) of this section.

     (4) The department's activities must include approaches to prevent, educate, and ensure compliance by providers, employers, and workers. The department shall provide a report to the governor and the appropriate legislative committees by December 1, 2012, that describes the agency's efforts and outcomes and makes recommendations for statutory changes to address barriers for successfully addressing provider, employer, and worker fraud.

[2011 1st sp.s. c 37 § 701.]

NOTES:

     Finding -- Effective date -- 2011 1st sp.s. c 37: See notes following RCW 51.32.090.