Austin, TX – Texas Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Ryan Brannan has informed Gov. Greg Abbott that he will step down from his position effective May 1.
Commissioner Brannan was appointed to the Texas Department of Insurance’s, Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) in August 2014 by Governor Rick Perry and reappointed twice by Governor Abbott.
“I’m so proud of what we have been able to achieve during my time here, and I am grateful to both Gov. Abbott and former Gov. Perry for this opportunity,” Brannan said. “It’s time for me to take on new challenges. While I am excited about what lies ahead, I will never forget all the great people I’ve worked with at this division.”
TDI’s Division of Workers’ Compensation regulates the workers’ compensation system in Texas, ensuring injured workers receive the necessary benefits to quickly return to work, and that workers’ compensation costs are kept at a reasonable level for Texas employers.
During his four years at DWC, Brannan led the development of a DWC fraud and prosecution unit, created a paperless initiative that included digitizing millions of claims, initiated revisions to letters to injured employees to make them easier to read, and developed rules to open the door to telemedicine and curtailing the use of compound drugs and dangerous opioids in workers’ compensation.
Governor Abbott may appoint an individual to fulfill the existing term, which expires February 1, 2019.
Source: TDI-DWC