Federalization Of Workers Compensation From Peter Rousmaniere
One of the more astute Workers Comp authors/bloggers recently wrote an article on The Federalization of Workers Compensation. I have been writing on this subject for over a year and it is good to see other opinions on what I think will be a major Workers Comp development.
Peter Rousmaniere wrote a great article on the possibility of the Federal Government becoming more involved in Workers Compensation. As the Feds expand their “web of control”, I think there will be more monitoring of Workers Comp on a Federal level. Peter’s article can be found here.
I was the first one to coin the term Federalization of Workers Compensation. This started a trend of articles on the Federalization issue. I still think the Feds will look to control what happens with Workers Comp. As I have posted before, let’s examine what has happened over the last few years.
The developments are:
- The CMS (Medicaid/Medicare) wants all Workers Compensation data
- The authority of the FIO or Federal Insurance Office is placed under CMS
- The CMS will be providing the FIO will all pertinent data
- By 2014, we are supposed to have nationalized health care, with national insurance
123RF exchanges.
- Most insurance licenses are renewed on a nationalized basis even though they are state-based. The NIPR http://www.nipr.com/ has most state’s licenses processing.
- The Internet with such sites as Linked, Jigsaw, ZoomInfo, etc have insurance personnel from all states discussing varied topics. Not long ago, other than intra-company and at conferences, how often did we all communicate with insurance personnel across state lines?
I could list many bullet points, but my goal is to be concise as possible. I am not saying that Workers Comp on a state basis will cease. I think that being very adaptive right now in Workers Comp is the best idea.
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Let’s take a quick inventory of the programs the Feds have taken over:
Social Security
Veteran Healthcare
Postal Service
Off Shore Oil Operation supervision
Banking regulations
While there are vast differences in state benefits, I have no confidence WC would be better for anyone under Federal Control
Minnesota would greatly benefits from the Federalization of the Workers’ Compensation system.
Minnesota has destroyed its system by paying off insurance companies and bowing down to employers whining that they do not want to take responsibility for their injured employees. Both have bought off our legislators to write the work comp laws in their favor. No employer has to hire any injured worker. Insurance companies replaced medical benefits with opiates in a bottle. Some injured workers, live off welfare and food shelves, and on the streets.
Minnesota has successfully created a group of ‘SECOND CLASS DISABLED CITIZENS’. Its system is laden with legal theft, conspiracy, and excessive profit on the backs of injured workers. They take the injured worker’s social security benefits and give them to the insurance carrier. Really – that is written into their law. Insurance companies make BILLIONS every year, now why do you think they do this – re-elections, campaign funds, mansions, retirement, vacations, expensive cars, and forever jobs within the system.
Yes, Federalization of Work Comp would work for the injured for a change.