44-557a. Compilation and publication of statistics; database of information; submission of data; contracts for actuarial or statistical services. (a) The director shall: (1) Compile and publish statistics to determine the causation of compensable disabilities in the state of Kansas and (2) compile and maintain a database of information on claim characteristics and costs related to closed claims, in order to determine the effectiveness of the workers compensation act to provide adequate indemnity, medical and vocational rehabilitation compensation to injured workers and to return injured workers to remunerative employment. The commissioner of insurance shall cooperate with the director and shall make available any information which will assist the director in compiling such information and statistics and may contract with the director and the secretary of the department of health and environment to collect such information as the director deems necessary. The secretary of revenue shall cooperate with the director and shall disclose individual income taxpayers names, addresses and social security numbers to the director to be used solely for the verification of workers compensation data files. For purposes of this subsection, such disclosure shall not be considered the disclosure of any particulars of a report or return.

(b) In order to further the purpose of subsection (a), each self-insured employer, group-funded workers compensation pool and insurance carrier shall submit to the director the disposition of a statistically significant sample of closed claims under the act. Unless provided by regulations to the contrary, on or after January 1, 2004, any insurer, group-funded workers compensation pool or self-insured employer who voluntarily submits claim information to the director pursuant to release 1 of the international association of industrial accident boards and commission's electronic data interchange implementation guide dated August 9, 1995, and amendments thereto, up to April 4, 2002, shall be deemed to be in compliance.

(c) Each self-insured employer, group-funded workers compensation pool, insurance carrier or health care facility shall submit medical information, by procedure, charge and zip code of the provider, or by hospital charge and related diagnostic and procedure codes in order to set the maximum medical fee schedule.

(d) The director may contract for professional actuarial or statistical services to provide assistance in determining the types of information and the methods of selecting and analyzing information as may be necessary for the director to conduct studies of closed claims under the workers compensation act and to enable the director to make valid statistical conclusions as to the distribution of costs of workers compensation benefits.

(e) The director shall obtain such office and computer equipment and employ such additional clerical help as the director deems necessary to gather such information and prepare such statistics.

(f) If a self-insured employer, group-funded workers compensation pool or insurance carrier fails to supply the information required by this section, the director shall issue and serve upon such person a summary order or statement of the charges with respect thereto and a hearing shall be conducted thereon in accordance with the provisions of the Kansas administrative procedure act. An administrative penalty of up to $500 for each violation or act, along with an additional penalty of up to $100 for each week thereafter that such report or other information is not provided to the director shall be imposed.

History: L. 1974, ch. 203, § 44; L. 1993, ch. 286, § 60; L. 1997, ch. 125, § 14; L. 2000, ch. 160, § 17; L. 2002, ch. 122, § 5; L. 2003, ch. 22, § 1; July 1.