A new FlashReport from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) finds that a Texas-like formulary for Louisiana state employees may reduce prescription drug costs by 4 to 28 percent depending on prescribers’ response to the formulary. This would have resulted …
Though states and the federal government remain at odds on marijuana legalization, the drug is gaining traction as a viable treatment in workers’ comp claims. In a recent discussion with Claims Journal, Brian Allen, vice president of government affairs for …
The Austin Court of Appeals issued a decision in a case involving the high prices that air ambulances charge Texas workers’ compensation insurers. Workers’ compensation insurance is a heavily regulated line of insurance. In fact, the state-mandated insurance policy requires …
A recent decision handed down by the District III of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals gives injured temporary workers the ability to choose whether to file suit against their employer or claim workers’ compensation benefits. The case, on appeal from …
The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that oil and natural gas companies can be sued when a worker is killed or injured on the job. The state’s highest court struck down a state workers’ compensation law that exempted oil and …
A good independent medical examination (IME) can assist in determining injury causation and disability rating, assist in formulating a treatment protocol and gauge return to work parameters. A recent white paper, “The Quality Divide: Are You a Leader or a …
With opioid overdoses now a leading cause of nonintentional death in the United States, data show most of these deaths can be traced back to an initial prescription opioid. A new study led by investigators at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical …
According to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Census of 2016 Fatal Occupational Injuries report, there were 5,190 workplace fatalities in 2016, a 7-percent increase from 2015. The fatal injury rate also increased from 3.4 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers …
Throughout this series, I have stressed the importance of connecting workers’ comp patients with great doctors at their time of need and how this results in an average of a 10 percent reduction in claims costs. I’ve also talked about …
Frankie Crispen Jr. had a lot to look forward to this past November. He was set to take the rigorous exam that could elevate him to journeyman electrician after four years as an apprentice. Thanksgiving came the day after the …