The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has reported that 1-Bromopropane (1-BP) (n-propyl bromide), a solvent increasingly used as a substitute for ozone-depleting chloro-fluorocarbons and similar regulated compounds, has been reported to cause neurological illness. 1-BP is used in vapor and immersion degreasing operations and other manufacturing processes, and as a solvent in industries using aerosol-applied adhesives.
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Friday, December 5, 2008
Dry Cleaning Agent 1-BP Causing Neurological Illness
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has reported that 1-Bromopropane (1-BP) (n-propyl bromide), a solvent increasingly used as a substitute for ozone-depleting chloro-fluorocarbons and similar regulated compounds, has been reported to cause neurological illness. 1-BP is used in vapor and immersion degreasing operations and other manufacturing processes, and as a solvent in industries using aerosol-applied adhesives.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
A Bailout for Workers’ Compensation
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
AAJ Publishes Report on Insurance Companies
Denying Claims: Some of the nation’s biggest insurance companies – Allstate, AIG, and State Farm among others – have systematically denied valid claims in an attempt to boost their bottom lines. These companies have rewarded employees who successfully denied claims, replaced employees who would not, and when all else failed, engaged in outright fraud to avoid paying claims.
Delaying until Death: Many insurance companies routinely delay claims, even going as far as to lock paperwork in safes, knowing full well that many policyholders will simply give up. In the words of one regulator, “the bottom line is that insurance companies make money when they don’t pay claims… They’ll do anything to avoid paying, because if they wait long enough, they know the policyholders will die.”
Confusing Consumers: Insurance contracts are some of the densest and incomprehensible contracts a consumer is ever likely to see. More than half of all states have enacted “plain English” laws for consumer contracts, yet many Americans still do not fully understand the risks they are subject to.
Discriminating By Credit Score: Insurance companies are increasingly using credit reports to dictate the premiums you pay, or whether you can even get insurance in the first place. The practice penalizes senior citizens with little credit, those who responsibly pay bills every month with cash or check, or those who have suffered financial crisis through no fault of their own.
Abandoning the Sick: Health insurers looking to cut costs have taken to retroactively canceling, or rescinding, the policies of people whose conditions have become expensive to treat. Some insurance companies have even offered bonuses to employees who meet “cancellation goals” – cancer patients in the middle of chemotherapy have even been targeted.
Canceling for a Call: Many people are rightly reluctant to make small claims on their home insurance for fear their insurance company will raise their premiums. But few realize that insurance companies often refuse to renew a policy just for making a phone call. Often an insurance company will count an inquiry over the phone as the same as a claim, and then they will do everything in their power to drop you.
CMS Announces Future Tele-Conferences for MSP Reporting
January 22, 2009 - Liability (including Self-Insurance), No-Fault Insurance and Workers' Compensation
January 28, 2009 - Liability (including Self-Insurance), No-Fault Insurance and Workers' Compensation
February 25, 2009 - Liability (including Self-Insurance), No-Fault Insurance and Workers' Compensation
March 25, 2009 - Liability (including Self-Insurance), No-Fault Insurance and Workers' Compensation
April 22, 2009 - Liability (including Self-Insurance), No-Fault Insurance and Workers' Compensation
CMS Publishes Intrim Record Layout for Mandatory Reporting
NJ Senate Passes WC Coverage Legislation
The legislation requires the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor (IFP) to establish a liaison with the NJ Department of Labor and Workplace Development and authorizes the investigation of cases involving failure to obtain Workers' Compensation coverage.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
CMS Announces Intention to Clarify MSP Recovery Language
As CMS ramps up for mandatory insurance carrier reporting, additional town hall conferences have been scheduled.