Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: 3M Resolves Defective Military Earplug Cases for $6 Billion. Court of Appeal Rules Against Cal/OSHA in Valley Fever Case. School District Struggles to Prove Exclusive Remedy for Volunteer. Five Wingstop Restaurants and Owners Cited $3M for Wage Theft. $12.7M in DOL Grants Awarded For Workplace Safety. WCIRB Releases COVID-19 2023 Claim Trends – Update. CWCI Study Shows SB 863 Cost Reductions Bottomed Out by 2015. Costly Healthcare Presumption of AOE/COE Law Failed – This Year. New Law Facilitates Physicians and Dentists from Mexico Program. Biomarkers Can Confirm Long COVID With 94% Accuracy.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Exclusive Remedy Bars Death Claim for Employer’s First Aid. Allstate’s Argument to Avoid Hospital Lien was “Disingenuous”. 9th Circuit Applies SCOTUS Ruling to Affirm Costs in ADA Case. Dismissed Felony Results in City Worker Losing PERS Retirement. Arbitration Fees Must Be Received (Not Just Paid) by Deadline. Sleep Clinic Owner Pleads Guilty to $1 Million Health Care Fraud. Palm Springs Pharmacy Resolves Fraud Claim for $925K. SCIF Alleges it was “Intentionally Mislead” by Dept of Insurance. Hospital Outpatient Costs 58% More than ASCs or Doctors Office. FTC Pushback Over Private Equity Firm’s Medical Practice Buyouts.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Attorney Fees and Costs – “The Tail that Wags the (Litigation) Dog”. Jury Acquits L.A. Sheriff’s Deputy of Workers’ Comp Fraud Charges. Fast Food Unions, Restaurants and Newsom Strike Last Minute Deal. DOL Proposes New Rule for Temporary Farm Worker Protections. OWC Proposes Changes to Longshore Penalty and Penalty Appeal Rules. L.A. County Health Initiative to Pay $1.3M Tt Resolve HIPAA Violations. Sutter Coast Hospital Pharmacy on Probation for “Major Deficiencies”. Firefighter Death Count from Toxic Exposure Increasing 22 Years After 9/11. VR Technology Successfully Used to Train Surgeons and Treat Patients. VA Continues to Fumble Electronic Health Record Rollout.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Court Rejects Longshore Benefits for Worker Injured at Yacht Club. WCJ Panel Reviews Case Authority to Rescind Stipulated Award for Error. Kaiser Resolves Illegal Disposal of Medical Waste Claim for $49m. New Law Strengthens Prohibitions Against Employee Non-Competition Clauses. Ballot Measure to Make $36B Managed Care Organization Tax Permanent. U.C. Davis Awarded $1.9M Grant to Study Lethal Cancers in Firefighters. FTC and Six States Reach Merger Consent Agreement with Amgen. Recently Retired WCJ Terry Smith Returns to Floyd Skeren Law Firm.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Nunes II En Banc Says Her Arguments Are “Unpersuasive and Inflammatory”. CSU exempt from LC 3802 Requirement to Reimburse Employee Expenses. K-12 Schools May Terminate Staff For Violation of Vaccination Rules. State Farm Prevents Class Action Attempt to Circumvent Policy Terms. Farm Labor Contractor and Two Growers Cited $1.9M for Wage Theft. DOJ Announces Results of Nationwide COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Action. Doctor Pleads Guilty to Using Misbranded Smuggled Drugs on Patients. Healthcare Provider to Pay $5 Million for Alleged False Claims.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Court Has Difficulty Applying Workplace Violence Law to Work-at-Home. Employer’s Evaluating Doctors Are Also “Employers” in FEHA Class Action. ERISA Allows Class Action Challenge to Health Plan Treatment Guidelines. Last Two of Seven Generic Drug Giants Resolve Criminal Price-fixing Charges. LA/OC Physician to Serve 5 Years for $20M Pharmaceutical Scam. State Auditor Moves EDD to “High Risk” List for Inadequate Fraud Prevention. CMS Updates Section 111 Reporting User Guide to Version 7.3. Business Group Publishes 2024 Large Employers’ Health Care Survey. Liberty Mutual Publishes the 2023 Workplace Safety Index. Startups and Technology Drive Explosive Growth in TPA Market.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: S&W Misconduct Increase Not Applicable to Industrial Disability Leave. 9 Years of Continuances to “Develop the Record” is Enough. RFA for Expedited UR Review Must Be Supported by Evidence of Necessity. “Brokered” Radiology Services is Illegal Unlicensed Practice of Medicine. Whistleblower Triggers Radiologist’s Arrested for Illegal Opioid Prescription. City of Los Angeles Freelance Ordinance Now In Effect. Catering Company Cited for $1.2M for Post Pandemic Rehiring Violation. NLRB Sets New Standard for Assessing Lawfulness of Work Rule. CMS Updates Medicare Set Aside Self-Administration Toolkit. Blue Shield Moves Away from PBMs to Save $500M in Medication Costs.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Used CCP 473 to Resurrect Dismissed Lien Claim. 9th Circuit Rejects Fire Chief’s Discrimination Case Against City of Stockton. Contractor Sentenced for $140K Premium Fraud and $1M Wage Theft. Cal/OSHA Asks Employers to Take the Pledge for Safe+Sound Week. Cal/OSHA Increased Physical Presence and Inspections in 3 Counties. NCCI Reports Carriers Say Safety Technologies are a “Game-Changer”. Modifications to California Fair Chance Act Take Effect on October 1st. New Study Supports Possible Long COVID Apportionment to the FOXP4 Gene. Senators Probe Nonprofit Hospitals Abuse of Tax Exemption Rules. Study Shows Independent Hospital Acquisitions Tied to Higher Prices.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Ordered to End Its Longstanding Illegal Reconsideration Procedure. After SCOTUS Remand, 9th Circuit Reaffirms its Denial of Employer’s Arbitration. Jury Awards UCSD Physician $39.5 million in UC Whistleblower Case. Prosecutors Must Use Specific, Not General Statutes In Comp Fraud Cases. Last Two Defendants Plead Guilty in $66M San Diego Pharmacy Scam. CEO of Whittier Clinic Pleads Guilty to $5M Health Care Fraud. CWCI Study Shows IMR Volume Increased in First Half of 2023. July 2023 Hospital Analysis Shows Continuing Tight Financial Margins. Bipartisan Law Allow States to Recruit Foreign Doctors to Fill Shortages. California Short 36,000 Nurses – But Nursing Schools Are Full.
Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Represented Worker Not Required to Repeat QME Procedural Steps. Arbitrator Has No Power to Cure Employers Late Payment of Arbitration Fees. 9th Circuit En Banc to Rule on Student/State Bar ADA Accommodation Dispute. Owners of Bakersfield Construction Co. Face $4M Payroll Fraud Charges. New Form 1-9 and Remote Verification Process Announced.
WCIRB 2023 State of the System Report is Essentially Good News. Workers Compensation National Insurers Show Strength and Profitability. Researchers Say DWC Data Shows 20,000 Annual Heat Related Injuries. AHA Reports Massive Dissatisfaction With Insurer Healthcare Practices. 16 Hospitals Line Up for California Distressed Hospital Loan Program.