Social Security Disability Solvency: The Backbone of Workers' Compensation

The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) system is estimated to run out of money in 2016 and the consequences, if not patched-up by legislation, are going to critical to the nation's patchwork of workers' compensation programs. Since its inception over 50 years ago, SSDI has been the safety net, especially in reserve offset states. It is the backbone of a program to support injured workers.

Over the decades, for numerous economic, social and political factors, the nation's workers' compensation program has continued to diminish in it's ability to deliver as intended. Both the medical and indemnity components have been difficult to obtain, and have restricted what they do deliver.

Misclassification: US Dept of Labor Issues Interpretation of Employment Status

The Application of the Fair Labor Standards Act’s “Suffer or Permit” Standard in the Identification of Employees Who Are Misclassified as Independent Contractors.

Sounding very much like a workers' compensation standardized employment status test, the US Department of Labor has added its interpretation this developing area of the law. This memo will has obvious added consequences to state interpretation to this issue. 

Company, Owner Sentenced in Asbestos Dumping Case

Donzell Moore of Toledo was sentenced today in Lucas County Court of Common Pleas after pleading guilty in June to two charges related to asbestos removal and disposal during demolition of the former Champion Spark Plug facility on Upton Avenue in Toledo.

Climate Change: A Major Concern for Workers’ Compensation

Climate significantly impacts workplace safety and health. As global warming increases, and changing weather patterns become more pronounced, workers’ compensation insurance systems will be stressed to limits never before imagined.

Since the inception of US workers’ compensation legislation almost a century ago, climate extremes have been causally related to compensable events in both a traumatic and occupational exposure setting. Whether it be periods of extreme temperatures or significant storm, i.e.. Hurricane Sandy, weather patterns are reaching new record breaking levels and causing increased levels of occupation injuries and illnesses already.

CMS - ICD10 Codes in Effect for Reporting Requirements Oct 1, 2015

Medicare Secondary Payer Act - CMS Reporting Requirements ICD10 Codes to be required as of October 1, 2015.

Reporting Reminder: Effective October 1, 2015, Responsible Reporting Entities and their agents will be required to report ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes on claim reports with a CMS Date of Incident (DOI) on or after October 1, 2015. This timeline and reporting requirements have not changed. For more information on ICD diagnosis code reporting, please refer to the MMSEA Section 111 NGHP User Guide Technical Information Chapter IV (Section 6.2.5 – ICD-9 and ICD-10 Codes). The NGHP User Guide can be downloaded from the NGHP User Guide page available at the following link: http://go.cms.gov/MIRNGHPUserGuide.

The Jury is Still Out on Wind Turbine Noise

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Occupational hearing loss claims have been have been associated with exposure to sources of loud noise for decades. One would think that new technology would limit noise exposure but maybe not so for energy production. A new study from Canada reflects that more research is need to determine whether wind turbine can produce adverse medical conditions.

Telemedicine puts a doctor virtually at your bedside

As workers' compensation medical costs expand, the next frontier at lowering costs maybe telemedicine. Will state regulations govern or whether will it be a nationally related system? Telemedicine may ultimately define the future of work-related medical care.

Watch the PBS Newshour segment on this topic.
Telemedicine puts a doctor virtually at your bedside