AMY JOHNSON, Claimant
v.
CARE INITIATIVES D/B/A MECHANICSVILLE SPECIALTY CARE, Employer, Self-Insured, Defendant.
No. 19700195.02
Iowa Workers Compensation
Before the Iowa Workers' Compensation Commissioner
February 26, 2020
Head
Note: 2701
ALTERNATE MEDICAL CARE DECISION
ERIN
Q. PALS, DEPUTY WORKERS’ COMPENSATION COMMISSIONER
STATEMENT
OF THE CASE
This is
a contested case proceeding under Iowa Code chapters 85 and
17A. The expedited procedure of rule 876 I.A.C. 4.48 is
invoked by claimant, Amy Johnson against Care Initiatives
d/b/a Mechanicsville Specialty Care, self-insured employer.
Claimant appeared personally and through her attorney, Mark
Chipokas. Defendant appeared through their attorney, Joseph
Thornton.
The
alternate medical care claim came on for hearing on February
26, 2020. The proceedings were digitally recorded. That
recording constitutes the official record of this proceeding.
Pursuant to the Commissioner’s February 16, 2015 Order,
the undersigned has been delegated authority to issue a final
agency decision in this alternate medical care proceeding.
Therefore, this ruling is designated final agency action and
any appeal of the decision would be to the Iowa District
Court pursuant to Iowa Code section 17A.
The
evidentiary record consists of Claimant’s Exhibit 1,
pages 1-9 and Defendants’ Exhibits A-E, and
claimant’s testimony during the telephonic hearing.
During the course of the hearing defendants accepted
liability for the November 7, 2018 work injury and for the
lower extremities and low back conditions for which claimant
is seeking treatment.
ISSUE
The
issue for resolution is whether the claimant is entitled to
alternate medical care.
FINDINGS
OF FACT
Claimant,
Amy Johnson, sustained an injury to her low back and lower
extremities as the result of an injury on November 7, 2018
which arose out of and in the course of her employment with
Care Initiatives d/b/a Mechanicsville Specialty Care
(“Care Initiatives”). Defendant has accepted
liability for the injury and current causal connection of the
treatment claimant is seeking via this alternate care
proceeding. The dispute in this case is the location of the
treatment. Ms. Johnson lives in Mechanicsville, Iowa.
Defendant has authorized treatment with Jonathan Fields, M.D.
at Allen Occupational Health in Waterloo...
