Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Judicial and Regulatory Health Care Disruptions Expected Soon. DA Drops Charges in Premium Fraud Case – in 4th Week of Jury Trial. Home Health Care Agencies Cited for $2M in Worker Misclassification. SoCal VR School Executives Arrested for $1.7M Voucher Fraud. DWC Suspends 178 Medical Providers for Fraud Crimes in 2022. LA/OC Physician Pleads Guilty to $20M Pharmaceutical Scam. Pressure Building for Another Decennial Workers’ Comp Reform. State Bar Investigating LA Attorneys Disbursement of Class Action Funds. Proposed Regulations to Allow Unsupervised Care by Nurse Practitioners. Simply Business Partners with biBERK to Offer Comp Coverage. 
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Weedwacker Injury Not a “Violent Act” for Psyche PD Add-On. PAGA Case Proceeds Despite Arbitrator Finding Against Employee. Long Beach Dockworkers Fraudulently Bill Health Plan $2.1M. New Law Prohibits Employer Discrimination for Off the Job Marijuana Use. Newsom Signs Law Inspired by Comp Carrier’s $2M CDI Lobby Scandal. Mandatory Weekly Testing for Unvaccinated Workers Roll Back. WCIRB Publishes 2022 Interactive Industry Stats Report. WCIRB Publishes Aggregate Medical Payment Trends 2021 Update. California Uses the AMA Guides 5th Edition – Which is Two Decades Old. NEXT Partners with Intuit For Comp Insurance in Quckbooks Ecosystem.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Prevailing in WCAB 132a Claim is Not Res Judicata in FEHA Case. Employers Must Set “Date Certain” for Emergency Leave Ending. S.F. Contractor Faces Multiple Felony Charges for Premium Fraud. NICB Partnerships Intensifies its Focus on California Insurance Fraud. Newsom Signs SB 1242 Adding Premium Fraud Reporting Provisions. Newsom Signs Law Extending Time to Study UR. Cal/OSHA Posts Guidance on Protecting Workers from Monkeypox. 61% of 6.2 Million Disabled People are Episodic and Not Permanent. Telehealth Utilization Fell 4% Nationally in June 2022. Hartford and Yale Team Up to Treat Injured Worker Addictions.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Class Action Claims Amazon 8′ Warehouse Pods Violate FEHA. Johnny Depp’s Attorney Hired to Defend High Profile Comp Fraud Case. Jury Convicts Silicon Valley Man for $77M COVID Test Kickbacks. Newsom Signs Fast Food Standards and Accountability Recovery Act. CDC Reports Alarming Surge in Construction Worker Suicides. State Fund Reports 82% Reduction in Opioid Use since 2014. Scripps Performs First ACL Reconstruction-Alternative Repair. Boeing, Concentra, Shutterfly Join NSC Pledge to Reduce Work Injuries.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Court Declines to Restrain “Rude and Aggressive” Workplace Customer. Employer Cannot Discover Immigration Status in Wrongful Termination Case. Judge Dismisses DAs’ Case Against Law Firm for $5M ADA Shakedown. Re-Hearing Revives Legality of Employer Arbitration Agreements. LAPD Officers Hired by Film Maker for Traffic Control Not Employees. Neurosurgeon Pleads Guilty to Accepting $3.3M In Kickbacks. So Cal Chiropractor Sentenced to 14 Months for Kickback Scheme. International DME Maker to Pay $25 M to Resolve Kickback Case. How the Great Resignation Impacts Workers’ Compensation. Workers’ Comp Benchmarking Study Releases 9th Annual Report.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Says New and Further Disability Must Occur Within 5 Years of DOI. WCAB Rejects Claim of Employment at Time of Fatal Car Crash. Judge Approves $30M Apple Security Check Pay California Class Action. Court of Appeal Rejects Staffing Agency’s Comp Policy Dispute. Study Finds U.S. Annual Insurance Fraud at Record $308.6 Billion. EDD Trust Fund $20B Deficit is More Than All Other States Combined. DHS Invites Comments on Employer Virtual I-9 Review Proposed Rule. Petitions Place So/Cal Healthcare Workers’ Minimum Wage Hike On Hold. SEIU Offers Delay of 2030 Hospital Seismic Retrofit for Higher Pay. Sedgwick Reports on Future Expectations for WC Claims Administration.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Belligerent Truck Driver’s Misdemeanor Conviction Ends Comp Award. Ventura County Providers Pay $70.7M to Resolve FCA Allegations. O.C. Lawyer’s Victory Lap Turns Med-Mal Jury Trial Victory into Defeat. Randy Rosen MD Pleads Guilty in Orange County Fraud Cases. Stockton Doctor Resolves Neruro-Stimulator Fraud Claims for $2M. Gavin Newsom Appoints Applicant Attorney Joe Capurro to WCAB. CPWR Investigates Underlying Causes of Falls From Heights. WCIRB Updates Loss Elimination Ratios and Advisory Plan Tables. Congressional Proposal to Quadruple OSHA Fines Loses Support. Half of Doctors Considering Leaving Medicine Over Insurer Headaches.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: California and U.S. Supreme Courts Face Off over Employer Arbitration. Injured Worker Fails to Prove an “Adverse Employment Action” After RTW. WCAB Panel Says – What Is In The File is Not What Is In Evidence. San Francisco Prevails in 11 Week Opioid Trial Against Walgreens. Is Zantac Litigation a Heads Up for Compensable Consequence Claims? NCCI Publishes New Countrywide Court Case Update. Orange County Man Arrested for Impersonating a Physician – for Years. Legislature “Suspends” Bill Triggered by Insurance Commissioner Scandal. Inflation Reduction Act Funds CMS to Negotiate Drug Prices. DWC Announces Return to In-Person Walk-Throughs.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Affirms Apportionment and Clarifies Hikida Rule. WCAB Has No Duty to “Rescue” Applicant From Take Nothing. Attorney General Lawsuit Says CVS Health Abuses its Market Power. Website Only Businesses Exempt from Disability Access Laws. Applicant Arrested Following Surveillance and Social Media Posts. OSHA Repeatedly Cites 1,600 Store Retailer for “Flagrant” Violations. Insurance Commissioner Sues Carrier for Illegal Marketing Tactics. Medicare Reverses Plan To Limit Hospital Safety Data Next Year. City Sues Feds to Keep 150 Year Old 700 Patient Rehab Hospital Open. Major California Employer Places Employee Well Being First.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Court of Appeal Denies Injunction Classifying Lyft Drivers as Employees. Settlement of Individual Suit Does Not Bar Employee’s New PAGA Suit. Court Reviews Employer’s Requirement to “Provide” Employees Seating. Right to Arbitrate Ends When Employer Fails to Timely Pay Fees. Teva Resolves Nationwide Opioid Cases – Including California – for $4.25B. Home Health Care Owner to Serve 18 Months for Kickback Scheme. WCIRB Publishes 2022 Quarterly Experience Report. Self-Insured Total Incurred Losses Increased 13.1% Last Year. CWCI Says SB 1127 Reduction of Claim Investigation Time is Unrealistic. Hanover Launches Wearable Sensor Program to Reduce Injuries.