FSCO increases service rendered rates for whiplash injuries

The Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) has released an adjustment to its PAF Guideline WAD I and its PAF Guideline WAD II that will see the fees for services rendered (as outlined in Appendix A of the respective guidelines) increase by 2.0% as of July 1, 2007.The increase, says FSCO, reflects the change in the Consumer Price Index for consumer prices in Canada during 2006.The Current WAD I Payment Schedule is as follows:Weeks 1 and 2$308.56Discharge anytime during the weeks 1 or 2 or at end of week 2, completion of discharge report and monitoring $158.45Weeks 3 and 4$166.79Final assessment and completion of discharge report$83.40Supplementary goods and services$125.09Transfer fee if changing initiating health practitioner$50.04The current WAD II payment schedule is as follows:Week 1$250.19Weeks 2 and 3$450.33Discharge at the end of week 3 and monitoring$166.79Weeks 4, 5 and 6 $425.32Final assessment and completion of report $83.40Supplementary goods and services$166.79Transfer fee if changing initiating health practitioner $50.04Over the past year, the PAF Guidelines Project has been consulting with stakeholders on updating the current PAF Guidelines, says a FSCO statement. A revised set of PAF Guidelines for WAD I and WAD II injuries is expected to be released later this summer and become effective in the fall.