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Category: Weekly Podcast News

February 10, 2025 – News Podcast


Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Unless Open & Obvious, Injured Worker Must Request Accommodations. Motion to Arbitrate Needs Review of Arbitrator’s Discovery Rules. Pfizer Company Resolves Kickback Case for $60M. QOL Medical Resolves Specialty Drug Kickback Case for $47M. State Farm Requests Wildfire Caused 22% Rate Increase. Cal/OSHA: COVID-19 Non-Emergency Standards Expired. Cal/OSHA Guidance During Wildfire Cleanup and Recovery. First-in-Class Non-Opioid Painkiller Approved by FDA.

February 3, 2025 – News Podcast


Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: SEIU Nurses Union to pay $6.28M for Unlawful Hospital Strike. No Tort Recovery After Employee Loses Wrongful Discharge Case. FTC Releases New Report – PBMs Markup Generics by 1000%. Cal/OSHA increases civil penalty amounts for 2025. Agenda Announced for DWC 32nd Annual Educational Conference. Recent Medical Workforce Trends on Injured Workers. Independent Pharmacies Won’t Carry Negotiated Price Drugs. AI Assisted Electrocardiogram Detects Cognitive Decline.

January 27, 2025 – News Podcast


Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Orders Retroactive Application of 4903.05(c)(1) Lien Declaration. Employee Awarded Attorney Fees After Appeal of “Berman” Hearing. Imprisoned SoCal Doctor Must Forfeit All Proceeds of Fraud. Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Alleges Cedars-Sinai Conspiracy. 2024 Was Another Bad Year For US Health Care Cyberattacks. P/C Insurance Market Profitability Improves in 2024.

January 20, 2025 – News Podcast


Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: FDA Continues Resisting Production of Pfizer Vaccine Documents. Legislators Propose Law to Help Finance Insurance Fire Losses. Palisades Firefighters Participate in First-of-its-Kind Cancer Study. Sutter Health to Invest $1B in AI Imaging With GE HealthCare. Dermatologicals Now Most Expensive WorkComp Drug Group. NSC MSD Solutions Index Reveals Workplace Safety Progress. Public Self-Insured Paid & Incurred Losses Increase. Latest Gallop Ratings of Lawyers & Judges Stay Historically Low.

January 13, 2025 – News Podcast


Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB to Sanction Attorney After Admonishments in 5 Cases. California Staffing Company Starts Gig Economy Legal Battle. Court Rules on FEHA Fees After Trip to Supreme Ct and Settlement. EEOC Says Wearable Technologies May Violate Employment Law. Two New Federal Laws Reduce Employer Administrative Burdens. New Law Limits Use of AI Alone in Making UR Determinations. Cal/OSHA Issues Safeway a $182K Citation For Unsafe Conditions. State Compensation Insurance Fund Declares 15% Dividend.

January 6, 2025 – News Podcast


Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Supreme Court Limits ER Price Disclosure Obligations to Patients. New L.C. Whistleblower Attorney Fee Law Applies to Pending Cases. Physician Admits $3M SIBTF Fraud Naming O.C. Judge as Co-Conspirator. Ventura County Physician to Serve 2 Years for $3M Healthcare Fraud. First Pharmaceutical “Consultant” Based Opioid Criminal Case Settles for $650M. Cal/OSHA Cites City of Los Angeles Animal Services Center $563K. Cal/OSHA Issues $276,425 Citation for First Serious Willful Heat Violations. Carriers File RICO Suits Against SoCal Addiction Treatment Centers. SoCal Laboratory and Owners Resolve Kickbacks Case for $15M.

December 16, 2024 – News Podcast


Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: CEO of Large Vocational Center Faces 23 Counts of SJDB Insurance Fraud. Oroville Hospital Resolves Kickbacks and False Billing Claim for $10.25M. Former Insurance Agent Arraigned in $900K Long-Term Care Fraud Scheme. Bay Area Home Health Company Owner to Serve 2 Years for Fraud. Subminimum Wage For Disabled Workers Ends in California on January 1st. WCIRB Geostudy Shows LA Basin Most Costly Area For Claims. California Moves to top 10 in National Hospital Safety Ratings Study. Kaiser Permanente Quadrupled Hospital at Home Care in 2024.

December 9, 2024 – News Podcast


Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Equitable Estopple Compels Arbitration With Non-Signatory Affiliated Employers. Late Arbitration Fee Penalties Not Applicable to Post Dispute Agreement. Massive Increases in Payroll Taxes Needed to Fix “Broken” UI System. Safety National Announces Winners of the 2024 Safety First Grant Program. DWC Seeks Public Input on Update to SJDB/RTW Rules. DWC Announces Transition to CourtCall Video Platform for Hearings. DIR Publishes Fiscal Year 2024/2025 Policy Assessment Notice. USC Keck Hospital Succeeds and Leads Nation at Nurse Manager Retention.

December 2, 2024 – News Podcast


Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Supreme Court Rejected Long Standing Rule in Carrier Subrogation Case. Jury Awards Injured Walmart Truck Driver $34M For Subrosa Based Discharge. SoCal School District Joins 200 Self-Funded Employers Suing Drugmakers. Fresno Pharmacist to Serve 7 Years for Trafficking 450,000 Opiate Pills. Pharmaceutical Company and Its CEO Pay $47M to Resolve Kickback Case. U-S Framing West Faces 31 Wage Theft Criminal Charges. So Cal Prosecutors Fight New Street Drug 3 Times Stronger Than Fentanyl. Decline in WC Opioid Use Outpaced Decline in Overall Population.

November 18, 2024 – News Podcast


Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: 2nd and 4th District Courts of Appeal Diverge on Arbitration/Preclusion Doctrine. Arbitrator’s Award is Not Final or Appealable Until it Resolves All Issues. Four SoCal Residents Arrested for Faked Bear Attacks and Insurance Fraud. Fresno County Man Indicted for Falsified Disability Insurance Claims. Farmer and Owner of Fruit Packing Company Convicted of Insurance Fraud. NCCI’s Annual Comp Carrier Survey Shows Strong & Healthy System. DOJ Sues to Stop UnitedHealth’s Proposed $3.3B Merger With Amedisys. RFK Jr. Recommends Replacing 600 National Institute of Health Employees.