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Committee backs bill to clarify how judges weigh medical opinions, expand access to independent medical evaluations
Summary
Senate Bill 345 would change evidentiary rules for workers' compensation medical opinions and expand reimbursement for out‑of‑town independent medical evaluations (IMEs); insurers and employers said the bill improves access and fairness; claimants' advocates supported the changes.
Helena — The Senate Business and Labor Committee heard testimony supporting Senate Bill 345, legislation aimed at changing how workers' compensation courts evaluate competing medical opinions and making it easier for injured workers to obtain independent medical evaluations (IMEs).
Proponents, including self‑insuring employers, the Montana State Fund and public school insurers, told lawmakers the bill would remove an automatic judicial preference for a treating physician’s opinion and instead require judges to weigh multiple factors — training, experience, specialty and the extent of treatment — when assessing credibility. Supporters said that change would improve accuracy in complex…
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