NYS WCB Announces Medical Narrative Report Template for Form CMS-1500 Submissions

To further assist medical providers in the implementation of the CMS-1500 for workers’ compensation patients, the Board has created a medical narrative report template that can be used to create the medical narrative that must accompany all CMS-1500 submissions.

The top of the template includes the three elements most narratives require: the patient’s work status, the causal relationship of the injury to the patient's work activities, and the patient’s percentage of temporary impairment. A medical narrative report may be found legally defective if these elements are missing. Medical providers must also include examination findings within their narrative, including the history of the injury/illness, objective findings based on the clinical evaluation, the patient’s plan of care and the diagnosis(es)/assessment of the patient.

A link to the new template, as well as line-by-line instructions, can be found on the CMS-1500 section of the Board’s website at http://www.wcb.ny.gov/CMS-1500/requirements.jsp. A chart outlining the specific narrative requirements for each specialty is located on the same page. 

If you have any questions regarding use of the medical narrative report template, please write to the CMS-1500 mailbox at [email protected].

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