As The CDC Relaxes Its Opioid Guidance, Workers’ Comp Experts Are Keeping An Eye Out For Red Flags
After years of tightening limits, new federal guidelines are giving doctors greater leeway in prescribing opioids. Unveiled in November by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the voluntary guidelines update more restrictive advice issued in 2016 -- advice that triggered a regulatory crackdown on opioids at the state and federal level.
March 29, 2023
Workers' Compensation
Pennsylvania Chocolate Factory Explosion Kills Seven
Four more people have been found dead following a chocolate factory explosion in West Reading, Pennsylvania, last week, raising the death toll to seven, officials said Sunday night. All previously missing persons had been accounted for as of Sunday night.
March 27, 2023
Property
Workers' Compensation
Pennsylvania
Medicare Set-Asides: To Submit Or Not To Submit
A Medicare Set-Aside (MSA) is a financial agreement that reserves a portion of a workers’ compensation settlement to cover future treatment and prescription costs of an injury, illness, or disease.
March 23, 2023
Workers' Compensation
CWCI Study: More Mental Health Services, But Decline In Comp Surgeries
Since 2014, the percentage of indemnity claims involving a major surgery in the first two years has declined one percentage point per year, falling from 28% of the 2014 claims to 23% of the 2019 claims, according to a study released Monday by the California Workers’ Compensation Institute.
March 23, 2023
Workers' Compensation
California
Attention Risk Managers: Long COVID Is Real And It’s Impacting Workers’ Comp Claims
Long COVID is an on-going, worrying and costly illness affecting workers and the workplace even as some people question if it is real.
March 23, 2023
Workers' Compensation
Independent Medical Examinations Are Judged by Their Covers. How To Make Sure You Get It Right
The old adage ‘You can’t judge a book by its cover’ may be true when it comes to reading the latest novel from your favorite author, but when it comes to independent medical examinations (IME), the cover letter means everything.
March 14, 2023
Workers' Compensation
Unprecedented Severity Of WC Claims
There seems to be a common misconception that all workers’ compensation losses are flat to slightly improving. While that might be true for the frequency of smaller claims, it definitely is not the trend in the frequency and costs of large death and permanent total disability claims.
March 7, 2023
Workers' Compensation
Reducing Claims And Eliminating Accidents
It has been heartening--especially over the last few years--to see more founders and investors take an interest in the U.S. workers’ compensation and safety innovation sector. Why?
March 2, 2023
Workers' Compensation
AI Has Finally Entered The Building
AI’s capabilities have surged so much that it has the potential in 2023 to dramatically raise the quality of claims handling and underwriting in workers’ compensation.
February 20, 2023
Technology
Underwriting
Workers' Compensation
Workers’ Compensation Costs Driven By Physician Services
According to a report by the National Council on Compensation Insurance, physical medicine expenses have been the primary contributor to the increase in annual physician costs in workers’ compensation over the past decade.
February 14, 2023
Workers' Compensation
Former Eagles Player Emmanuel Acho Prevails In Workers’ Comp Case
Former Eagles linebacker turned media personality, Emmanuel Acho, has won a lengthy workers’ compensation battle. Acho’s career with the Eagles ended in 2015 due to a thumb injury, after playing in 20 regular season games.
February 13, 2023
Litigation
Workers' Compensation
Pennsylvania
CMS Moves Forward With Hefty Civil Monetary Penalties For Noncompliance
Primary workers’ compensation, general liability, and no-fault claims payers should be on alert for civil monetary penalties of up to $1,000 per day, per claim, which will be issued against noncompliant claims payers beginning spring 2023.
February 9, 2023
Auto
Legislation & Regulation
Liability
Workers' Compensation
5 Tips To Settle Workers Comp Cases Faster
When approaching a workers compensation settlement, efficiency and accuracy are critical. While it is important to get the settlement right, speed is key to curbing the potential long-term sprawl of expenses related to medical treatment, potential surgeries and indemnification for carriers and businesses.
February 7, 2023
Risk Management
Workers' Compensation
Due To Worker’s Status And Exclusive Remedy, Court Reverses $5.6M Jury Award
A Pennsylvania appellate court has struck down a $5.59 million jury award for a former roofer who suffered catastrophic spinal injuries after falling 20 feet through an unmarked hole in a roof.
February 2, 2023
Litigation
Workers' Compensation
Pennsylvania
Top Ten Challenges For The Workers’ Compensation Industry
In its fifth year, the Risk & Insurance survey of workers’ compensation professionals, sponsored by Healthesystems, highlighted the top challenges industry professionals faced in 2022 and their priorities heading into 2023.
February 1, 2023
Workers' Compensation
