Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Opioid Settlements for 400 California Cities, Most States and Tribes. WCAB Panel Clarifies DOI in Continuous Trauma Cancer Case. Cardinal Health to Pay $13.1M to Resolve Kickback Case. Sam Solakyan Sentenced to 5 Years and $30M Restitution. Deal Reached on COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave. Few Hourly Workers Compensated for Shift Cuts Required by Law. Push for California Single Payer Health Abruptly Ends. Gov. Newsom Announced New EDD and Cal/OSHA Leaders. Scripps Claims Omicron Surge Winding Down by Early March. Mitchell, Genex and Coventry Publish 2022 Predictions. 
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Will Workers’ Comp Exclusive Remedy Protect Alex Baldwin? Follow-up on 2019 CDI/Applied Underwriters Pay-to-Play Scandal. Food Processing Co. Owners Face $1.7M Premium Fraud Claim. EDD Says 98% of 27,000 New Providers Likely Fraudulent. Simi Valley Roofing Contractor Guilty of $1.6M Premium Fraud. Fake COVID Test Sites Complicate Adjudication of Comp Claims. DWC Proposes Copy Service Fee Increase From $180 to $230. OSHA Officially Withdraws Vaccine Mandate After SCOTUS Ruling. RAND Reports on COVID Effects on Worker’s Comp Industry. New “Stealth Omicron” Variant BA.2 Found in at Least 40 Countries.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: S.D. Pharmacy Resolves “Red Flags” Opioid Case for $105K. Retired San Jose Cop to Serve 3 Years for $1.1M Premium Fraud. DWC Posts Emergency Med-Legal Evaluation Telehealth Regs. CWCI Opens Registration for 2022 Annual Meeting. COVID Comp Claims Increased 172% in December. Study Shows WCMSA Funds “Robust Tracking System”. California Omicron Wave Shows Signs of Slowing. Swamped San Diego Hospitals Close Doors to New Patients.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: SCOTUS Rules Against OSHA Vaccine Mandate. Court Affirms CAL/OSHA Citation for Freeway Construction Injury. UC San Diego Health Resolves Medicare Billing Suit for $3 Million. EDD Suspends 345,000 Suspected Fraudulent SDI Claims. COVID Outbreak Returns WCAB to Telephonic Hearings. Omicron Surge Forces Closure of Northern California Courts. Budget Proposes $4.9 B to Overhaul California Courts. HHS Mandates Insurers Cover At-Home COVID Tests. No Quarantine Requirement for California Healthcare Workers. Study Says Common Cold T-Cells Provide COVID-19 Protection.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Has Sanctions Jurisdiction After Withdrawal of Lien. Drugmaker Faces Undisclosed Side Effects California Class Action. New WCAB Rules of Practice and Procedure Now in Effect. Cal/OSHA Updates COVID FAQs on Isolation and Quarantines. NCCI Evaluates Various Drug Formulary Implementations. U.S. Postal Service Says it Can’t Comply With OSHA Mandate. UCLA Study – Fast Food Workers at High Risk of COVID-19. California Essential Services Disrupted by COVID Resurgence. Insurance Fraud Detection Market to Reach $12.8 Billion by 2027. Applied Underwriters Announce 2022 Growth Plans.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Top Court Sets Jan. 7 Oral Argument in Vaccine Mandate Appeals. Landmark Tort Claim by Spouse of COVID Infected Worker Affirmed. DCA Clarifies IFPA “First-to-File” Rule in Published Decision. WCAB Panel Rejects Claim of CRPS Total Disability. Lien Claimant Must Meet CCP 473 Criteria for Relief From Default. Secret Service Says Cost of COVID-relief Funds Fraud is $100 Billion. Marketers of Beverly Hills Surgery Companies Guilty of $355M Fraud. Mileage Rate Will Increase to 58.5 Cents Per Mile in 2022. RAND Study Shows 21% Decline in Opioid Prescribing. Global TPA Market to Reach $514.98 Billion by 2030.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: U.S. Top Court to Rule on California Arbitration Agreement Limits. Supreme Court Declines Another Vaccine Mandate Review. WCJ Awards S&W Benefits Against State Agency in Fatality Case. Drugmakers Settle Price-Fixing California Class Actions for $10M. EDD Detects Wave of Health Provider Credentials Fraud. Farm Labor Contractor Charged With $1.8 M Premium Fraud. Public Self-Insured Claims Decline – But Cost of Claims Increase. 2022 Ballot Initiatives Resurrect Malpractice “Tort Wars”. Pfizer Buys Pharma Rival Arena In All-Cash $6.7 Billion Deal. Among County Workers – O.C. Sheriffs Have More COVID Claims.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Roundup Maker Prevails Again – in SoCal Jury Verdict. Federal Court Ends California Generic Drug Price Law. Retired WCJ Correro Clarifies Limits on Developing the Record. Price Gouging Drugmaker Resolves Antitrust Case for $40M. Owner of Multiple Bay Area Clinics Admits Fraud Charges. LAUSD Fires Hundreds of Employees Over Vaccine Mandate. Vaccine Mandate Forces 113 L.A. City Firefighters Off Duty. DWC Updates QME Educational Offerings. FDA Reports 111 Critical Drug Shortages. MEMIC Selects ClaimsPay Platform to Reduce Frictional Costs.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Supreme Court Denies Review of $86.7M Roundup Award. FOIA Lawsuit Seeks Expedited FDA Release of Vaccine Documents. Healthcare Vaccine Mandate Now Blocked Nationwide. Jury Verdict – Pharmacies Held Liable for Opioid Distribution. O.C. Sheriff’s Captain Charged with $17M Premium Fraud. East Bay Doctor Found Guilty of Illegally Prescribing Opioids. S.F. Disbarred Attorney Faces Insurance Fraud Charges. DWC Updates Low Back Treatment Guideline. Advocacy Group Claims PBMs Increase Healthcare System Costs. WCIRB Reviews Frictional Claim Cost Trends.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: OSHA Ordered to “Take No Steps” to Enforce Vaccine Mandate. OSHA Vaccine Mandate Cases Consolidated in 6th Circuit. Texas Sues CMS Over Healthcare Worker Vaccine Mandate. O.C. Disneyland Cast Loses Minimum Wage Class Action. SoCal Family Sentenced for $20M COVID Relief Fund Fraud. Santa Clarita Man Sentenced for $1.8M COVID-Relief Funds Fraud. Double Dipping Santa Rosa Injured Worker Convicted. City of Oroville and Other Governments Reject COVID Mandates. Drug Overdose Deaths Hit Record High During Pandemic. Company Awarded Patent for Exaggerated Injury Detection AI.