Program overview
An IRE is conducted and an impairment rating determination must result under the most recent edition of the AMA Guides; the physician attaches the Report of Medical Evaluation to the Face Sheet.
History
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court's Protz decision (2017) struck down the prior IRE framework; Act 142 (2018) restored it with the 6th Edition (2nd printing April 2009) as the standard.
Pennsylvania runs a IRE programme and rates on ama guides 6th (34 Pa. Code § 123.105; Act 142). The rating standard is set by the jurisdiction, not by the examiner, so the same clinical findings can produce different numbers across the 10 states profiled here.
Key facts
| Program | IRE |
| Agency | Pennsylvania Bureau of Workers' Compensation |
| Statute / rules | 34 Pa. Code § 123.105; Act 142 (2018) |
| AMA Guides edition | 6th Edition (2nd printing, April 2009) |
| Edition basis | 34 Pa. Code § 123.105; Act 142 |
| MMI rules | IRE assigns an impairment rating that can cap or terminate wage-loss benefits depending on the percentage |
| Key forms | Report of Medical Evaluation as specified in the AMA Guides |
| Fee schedule | IRE fee schedule (verify current) |
| Telehealth | Not confirmed |
