A New Jersey insurance executive is warning that mishandling of the anthrax crisis could be costly for the workers' compensation system, but some in the industry question her notion.
Ilene B. Wachs, president of Horizon Casualty Services of Newark, N.J., is concerned that the current response to anthrax scares in the workplace could translate into substantially increased costs to workers' compensation systems. HCS is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey that manages workers' compensation claims.
She said her company has recently seen a rash of anthrax-related workers' compensation claims.
Ms. Wachs, who has a background in public health, sees the problem as stemming from anthrax-related treatment decisions being made by non-medical personnel.
