Service authorized by an occupational nurse consultant (ONC):

  • Home health care ordered by a physician for skilled nursing, nursing assistant, physical therapy, or occupational therapy
  • Long term attendant care
  • Skilled nursing facility care
  • Residential care at an adult family home, group home, or assisted living
  • Home infusion therapy (IV antibiotic)
  • Negative Pressure Wound Therapy
  • Nurse care management

Contact an ONC for authorization

Occupational Nurse Consultants are assigned to specific claim units. To contact the assigned ONC, call:

  • Office assistant staff 360-902-5880
  • Provider Hotline staff 1-800-848-0811, or send a secure email: PHL@lni.wa.gov

Give them the claim number, and ask to be connected to the assigned ONC.

Discharge planning and facility placement

Prior authorization is required when a worker is being discharged from a hospital or facility to another facility or home health care. Only an Occupational Nurse Consultant can give this authorization.

Planners should seek authorization as early as possible prior to discharge; L&I typically needs 1-2 business days to make an authorization decision.

For discharge planners

Step 1:  Ensure a Report of Accident (ROA) is on file with L&I. If it’s not, fax the patient’s ROA to 360-902-4567, or file a new ROA using our FileFast system. If you don’t have a facility in mind for discharge, use our Find A Doctor page to search for in-network providers.

Step 2:  Contact the ONC assigned to the claim. You will be asked to provide the L&I claim number from the ROA when you call.

Step 3:  To expedite authorization, be prepared to provide the following:

  • As many of the patient’s chart notes and records as you have available
  • What kind of facility the worker is being discharged to (and potential facility names if available)
  • Treatment recommendations and orders from discharging provider
  • Durable medical equipment requirements

Step 4:  An L&I ONC will make an authorization decision once sufficient information is available.

For facilities accepting patients

Step 1:  Contact the ONC assigned to the claim. You will be asked to provide the L&I claim number when you call.

Step 2:  To expedite authorization, be prepared to provide the following:

  • As many of the patient’s chart notes and records as you have available
  • Treatment recommendations and orders from discharging provider
  • Durable medical equipment requirements

Step 3:  If your facility isn’t part of L&I’s provider network, you will need to become an L&I provider in order to be paid for services provided to L&I patients.

Step 4:  An L&I ONC will make an authorization decision once sufficient information is available.