Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Health Net Loses $14.4M Jury Verdict Over Surgery Delay. Timely Arbitration Request Required by Employer in Multiple Forums. Neurosurgeon to Serve 5 Years for $3.3 Million Kickback Scheme. California Joins 17 States in Employment Definition Classification Battle. New California Law Mandating Bereavement Leave Starts January 1. OSIP Reports Public Self-Insured Claim Volume and Losses Soared. NCCI Surveys Top WC Industry Concerns Heading Into 2023. WCIRB Studies Medical Characteristics of Cumulative Trauma Claims. CMS Expected to Be More Aggressive With WC Payers in 2023. Study Shows 7.4 Million Diagnostic Errors Annually in Emergency Rooms.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Court Rules on “Contentious” Med-Legal Associates Litigation With QME. Proof of “Prejudice” Required for Laches to Bar 20 Year Old Lien. Unused Portion of SJDB Voucher Expires 2 Years After Issuance. Employer’s Arbitration Motion Fails for Poor Documentation. Twice Convicted SoCal Insurance Agent Sentenced for Theft. Dignity Health and Tenet Healthcare Agree to Pay $22.5M for False Claims. Essilor Laboratories Resolves Kickback Case for $23.8M. DWC Opens Registration for 30th Annual Educational Conference. Environment, Health & Safety Conference Set for January in Long Beach. Six Major Pharmacies Settle WC Prescription Overcharge Claims for $16M.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Failure to Admit Medical Records Dooms Employer’s Apportionment. Carriers Not Required to Notify Insured of WCIRB Classification Changes. City Immune from Suit for Bad Advice to Injured Police Officer. School District COVID Vaccination Mandates Preempted by State Law. O.C. Pharmacist Guilty of 22 Felonies for $11M Insurance Fraud. DIR Sends Employers Notice of More Than $1.5B in 2023 Assessments. Oregon Report Says California Has 3rd Highest Comp Rates in Nation. American Bar Association Lowers the Bar to Law School Admission. Low Back Pain Study of 17,326 Records Has Sobering Conclusions. Pharmacy Cutbacks Cause Big Delays for Customers in Bay Area.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Employer Cannot Refuse to Hire Worker on Medical Examination Alone. Attorney General Sues Team Owner & NFL for Hostile Workplace Cover-up. Temporary Total Disability Rates for 2023 to Increase by 5.16%. WCIRB Releases Multibureau Evaluation of COVID-19 Claims & Costs. Former DIR Director Critical of Cal/OSHA’s COVID Regulations. EK Health Announces New “Billtelligent” Medical Bill Review Technology. Amazon Plans New Virtual Care Offering Based on Messaging. Industry Leaders Share Ideas at Healthcare Conference in Las Vegas.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Defines “High Velocity Eye Injury” Required for Extended TTD. DOI has Jurisdiction to Invalidate Carrier “Unfiled” Side Agreements. Walmart Sues 45 National Carriers For Opioid Settlement Costs. Santa Rosa Neurosurgeon Convicted for Opioid Prescriptions. NCCI Publishes Update to 2021 State of the WC Line Report. WCIRB Releases- 2022 Geo Study with Interactive Map. Orange County Cities Consider Protections for Hospitality Workers. Walgreens VillageMD to buy Summit Health for $9B.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Carrier Cannot Disqualify Multiple WCJ’s in Dec’d Defense Attorney Case. Growers SIG Sues Grower for $3M Cost of Post-Termination Claims. L.C. 432.6 Nullifies Employer’s Post litigation Proposed Arbitration Agreement. Opposing Party Prejudice Not Required for Arbitration Waiver. Epic Failure of $370M Fraud Detection Tech System in California & 7 States. Merced County Doctor Indicted for $53M Insurance Fraud Scheme. DWC Publishes 2021 Audit Report of Audit of 40 Entities. CDC Updates Opioid Clinical Treatment Guidelines. Nine California Hospitals Given Specialty Excellence Awards. Database of Hospitals Penalized By Medicare for Re-admissions.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Rules on Procedure for County to Recover L.C 4850.4 Advances. FLSA Mandates Call Center Employees be Paid for Booting Up Computer. Applicant Attorney Jon Woods to Serve 4 Years for Comp Fraud. San Jose Father and Son Arrested for $12M Premium Fraud. 3 Bay Area Restaurants Settle Wage Theft Case for $6M. U.S. DOL Recovers $202K From SoCal Car Wash for Wage Theft. EEOC Releases Updated “Know Your Rights” Mandated Poster. Few California DAs File Charges for Wage Theft – But That May Change. Science May Support Apportionment of Musculoskeletal Disability to Smoking. AM Best Reports WC Profitability “Unmatched” by Other P/C Lines.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Lawyers Union Sues California Over How it Hires Lawyers and Judges. Business Name Issues Are Problems for Enforcing Employee Arbitration. Cross Examination Required in Hearing on Workplace Violence Orders. Highest Paid UCLA Doctor Convicted of Patient Sexual Assaults. Staffing Problems Plague Labor Commissioner’s Wage Theft Efforts. PBMs Battle With Several States over State Rights to Govern Them. California to End COVID State of Emergency in February.
New Definition of “Close Contact” and “Infectious Period” for COVID. Sutter Health Pays $13M for Billing for Lab Tests it Did not Perform. NCCI Reports WC Medical Costs Increasing Less Than Inflation.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Fresno Trucking Business Owners Face $2.5M Payroll Fraud Charges. Tustin Doctor Pleads Guilty to Illegally Selling 120K Opiod Pills. Cal/OSHA Investigates Tree Trimmer Death After Fall into Wood Chipper. WCIRB Publishes COVID-19 Workers’ Compensation 2022 Update. DWC Announces Deactivation of Inactive E-Filer Accounts. U.S. DOL Announces Proposed Rule on Worker Classification. Feds Publish Blueprint to Guide Employer Use of AI Technology. NY Times Says Insurers Exploited Medicare for Billions.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Panel Rejects Provisions of Unapproved 3rd Party Settlement. Attorneys Awarded $280K Fees for $15K Settlement of Rest Break Case. New Law Facilitates Recovery of $282K Wage Theft From Car Wash Owners. SoCal Attorney to Serve 37 Months for Forged Court Judgments. Highlights of New Worker’s Compensation and Employment Law. DWC Proposes Remote Health and QME Scheduling Regulations. WCIRB Reports Lower Premium and Higher Combined Loss Ratio. Lawsuit Filed Against New California “Medical Censorship” Law. New Rules Give Patients Unfettered Access to Digital Health Records. Initiative Process to Allow Voters Decide Health Care Workers Wage.