JL_risklogo.png

Workers Comp Audit Stress Reducer
Use It For Your Next Premium Audit

Two Great Workers Compensation Guides WCRI – Covers RXs

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

WCRI Releases Two Great Workers Compensation Guides in October

Workers Compensation Guides by WCRI (Workers Compensation Research Institute) were released in October.  The ones that caught my eye were the two below.   The Benchmark study can be broken up by state if you do not wish to download the report for all 18 states.

picture ireland england workers compensation guide
Public Use License

The second guide on state prescription rules and laws is very reasonably priced for what you receive in the download.  The guide covers all 50 states as of January 1 of this year.   It is to be considered a snapshot of the regulations at the first of 2018,

CompScope 19th Edition – The Venerable Guide to Workers Comp Medical Payment Statistics

The following are sample findings for some of the study states:
“My comments are in quotes.”

  • California: The study shows a decrease in medical payments per claim, evaluated as of March 2017, as a result of the continuing impact of Senate Bill 863.  “I had thought SB 863 would have no effects on medical costs.  This is a great development for CA.”
  • Massachusetts: Medical payments per claim were the lowest of the 18 study states; many costs have been decreasing going back several years.
  • North Carolina: Decreases in medical payments per claim were the steepest of all study states (6 percent per year since 2013), likely reflecting the impact of recent fee schedule changes.   “Fee schedules are one of the best ways that a state can reduce overall workers compensation costs without reducing the level of care for injured workers.”
  • Pennsylvania: Faster-than-typical growth in medical payments per claim was driven by faster growth in hospital outpatient payments per claim.
  • Texas: Medical payments per claim decreased from 2014 to 2016, following several years of increasing medical costs.
  • Wisconsin: In contrast to moderate to rapid growth in prior years, Wisconsin experienced little growth in medical payments per claim since 2014. “Without a fee schedule I still predict these costs will increase in the future.  Usual and customary can only get you so far without a solid number to work with on medical costs/”

To download copies of the studies, visit https://www.wcrinet.org/reports/compscope-medical-benchmarks-19th-edition.

The 18 study states are Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. There are individual reports for every state except Arkansas and Iowa.

Prescriptions Drug Regulations All 50 States

Doctor Hand workers compensation guides Writing Prescription
By StockUnlimited

In early October, the WCRI released a new report that gathers in one place the numerous state regulations affecting prescription drugs in all 50 states, including those for injured workers.

The report, Workers’ Compensation Prescription Drug Regulations: A National Inventory, 2018, also provides information on some of the most prominent prescription drug issues stakeholders are concerned about in 2018, such as the following:

  • Rules for Limiting and Monitoring Opioid Prescriptions
  • Medical Marijuana Regulations
  • Workers’ Compensation Drug Formularies
  • Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs
  • Price Regulations for Pharmacy- and Physician-Dispensed Drugs
  • Drug Testing Regulations

The tables in this report were compiled from completed surveys of two agencies for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The report was authored by Karen Rothkin. For more information about this inventory or to purchase a copy, visit https://www.wcrinet.org/reports/workers-compensation-prescription-drug-regulations-a-national-inventory-201.

Please note that we receive no monies from WCRI to mention their publications.  We publish them in the newsletter as they are superior workers compensation guides.

©J&L Risk Management Inc Copyright Notice

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

Related...

James J Moore - Workers Comp Expert

Raleigh, NC, United States

About The Author...

James founded a Workers’ Compensation consulting firm, J&L Risk Management Consultants, Inc. in 1996. J&L’s mission is to reduce our clients’ Workers Compensation premiums by using time-tested techniques. J&L’s claims, premium, reserve and Experience Mod reviews have saved employers over $9.8 million in earned premiums over the last three years. J&L has saved numerous companies from bankruptcy proceedings as a result of insurance overpayments.

James has over 27 years of experience in insurance claims, audit, and underwriting, specializing in Workers’ Compensation. He has supervised, and managed the administration of Workers’ Compensation claims, and underwriting in over 45 states. His professional experience includes being the Director of Risk Management for the North Carolina School Boards Association. He created a very successful Workers’ Compensation Injury Rehabilitation Unit for school personnel.

James’s educational background, which centered on computer technology, culminated in earning a Masters of Business Administration (MBA); an Associate in Claims designation (AIC); and an Associate in Risk Management designation (ARM). He is a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and a licensed financial advisor. The NC Department of Insurance has certified him as an insurance instructor. He also possesses a Bachelors’ Degree in Actuarial Science.

LexisNexis has twice recognized his blog as one of the Top 25 Blogs on Workers’ Compensation. J&L has been listed in AM Best’s Preferred Providers Directory for Insurance Experts – Workers Compensation for over eight years. He recently won the prestigious Baucom Shine Lifetime Achievement Award for his volunteer contributions to the area of risk management and safety. James was recently named as an instructor for the prestigious Insurance Academy.

James is on the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the North Carolina Mid-State Safety Council. He has published two manuals on Workers’ Compensation and three different claims processing manuals. He has also written and has been quoted in numerous articles on reducing Workers’ Compensation costs for public and private employers. James publishes a weekly newsletter with 7,000 readers.

He currently possess press credentials and am invited to various national Workers Compensation conferences as a reporter.

James’s articles or interviews on Workers’ Compensation have appeared in the following publications or websites:

  • Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS)
  • Entrepreneur Magazine
  • Bloomberg Business News
  • WorkCompCentral.com
  • Claims Magazine
  • Risk & Insurance Magazine
  • Insurance Journal
  • Workers Compensation.com
  • LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites
  • Various trade publications

Subscribe

Get the latest workers' comp news FREE!

Name
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.