The Texas Department of Insurance has released an 81-page report documenting the impact of the 2005 reforms that addressed the affordability and availability of workers' compensation insurance in the state.

The report, which is required by state law to be updated every other year, examines key findings about the impact of the 2005 reforms for Texas employers and the impact of certified workers' compensation health-care networks on return-to-work outcomes, medical costs, quality-of-care issues, and medical dispute resolution.

Specifically, the 2005 reforms required the creation of the Office of Injured Employee Counsel to serve as a voice for injured workers, formed workers' compensation health-care networks to improve the quality of medical care received by injured workers at a reasonable cost for Texas employers, mandated evidence-based medical treatment guidelines, streamlined dispute-resolution processes, and focused on improving return-to-work outcomes in the state.