The state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations said it will raise how much doctors and others get paid for treating most workers' compensation patients, addressing a concern that medical providers weren't being adequately remunerated.

The new levels will take effect on Jan. 1 and bring most rates up to levels paid by commercial insurers for similar work provided to non-workers' compensation patients.

The Labor Department said it completed its first comprehensive review since 1995 of what's paid to doctors and others for workers' compensation treatments earlier this year. It decided to adjust fees for most services and held public hearings on the proposals, with Gov. Linda Lingle signing the increases into law last month.

Among the changes are increasing some surgical procedures by 29 percent over prevailing rates and evaluation and management services by almost 21 percent. Some radiology work will decline by an average of 8.6 percent.