New York’s Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) announced new, free online educational resources for providers treating injured workers. Additionally, the WCB has opened a dedicated email inbox to solicit feedback from providers.

The WCB’s Who Can Treat page is organized by provider type, with discipline-specific resources for each provider type. The separate pages for each discipline offer guidance on eligibility requirements, state treatment guidelines, telehealth rules, and more.

Bonus: In the same message, the WCB also announced a pending increase to reimbursement rates under the state’s workers’ comp fee schedule.

These new resources are only the latest step in the state’s broader, sustained push to make treating injured workers easier and more financially sustainable for providers. We’ve praised New York before, but it bears repeating: the state is pulling out all the stops to incentivize provider participation in its workers' comp system and to expand injured workers’ access to care.

New Resources by Provider Discipline

The Who Can Treat page features links to a wealth of state resources for each type of provider, including:

• Providers who are eligible for WCB authorization to treat injured workers (e.g., physicians, physical therapists, chiropractors)
• Providers who are not eligible for WCB authorization, but may still treat injured workers under specific conditions (e.g., dentists, resident and fellow physicians, physical and occupational therapy assistants)
• Providers in “Special Situations,” i.e., emergency and out-of-state healthcare providers

Clicking any provider type opens a page (e.g., the Physician page below) with further links to resources for multiple aspects of participating in the workers’ comp system, including:

• Information about WCB authorization to treat injured workers
• New York Medical Treatment Guidelines
• Conditions under which the provider may deliver care via telehealth
• Which types of Prior Authorization Requests (PAR) the provider is eligible to submit

These links include downloadable training materials, webinars, and more.

Have Suggestions for the WCB? Let Them Know.

The WCB also established a dedicated email inbox, HCPFeedback@wcb.ny.gov, specifically for provider feedback. According to the WCB announcement:

“Whether you have input or questions regarding Board processes, training resources, or ideas regarding how we can improve your overall health care provider experience, your feedback is extremely valuable to us, and we want to hear from you.”

The WCB notes that this is a separate inbox from the existing providers@wcb.ny.gov address for “help with specific issues, or to reply to credentialing and or compliance-related communications.”

According to the WCB, the agency may share the suggestions providers send to the new feedback inbox with specific internal teams. The WCB will issue individual responses if the provider requests follow-up and includes direct contact information.

New York is making strides to benefit injured workers and the providers who treat them, including through accessible resources, higher provider reimbursement, mandatory electronic billing, and a renewed legislative push for “universal” provider authorization. Other states should be taking notes.

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