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Workers Comp Problem Revealed By US Health Index

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Workers Comp Problem – US Health Index Shines Glaring Light

A probable workers comp problem uncovered this week.  Sometimes you come across articles and numbers by accident.   This happened to me over the last weekend. One of my web browsers (Opera) highlighted a few articles based on my recent searches.   I clicked on the article and found a few startling facts about the level of health in the US that I inferred to possibly be a Workers Comp problem.

If you look down the page at these two graphics, you will see what could be a workers comp problem area.   The US ranks 35th in the world regarding the level of health we maintain for ourselves.  What???  The US was so far down on the page that I could not fit all the rankings in this article.

How I Made the Connection

In the world of workers comp, you get the injured employee as you hire them – preexisting conditions and the employee’s mindset.  If we rank 35th for 2023 (post pandemic) then PREEXISTING should be capitalized and in bold letters.

Every workers comp worker, especially claims adjusters, have heard the term “aggravation of a preexisting condition.”  If the US ranks at 35th, that tallies at a huge number of preexisting conditions that can be aggravated = workers comp problem.

For reference, the US is ranked lower than many third world countries.  See the chart on this webpage.

Yes the US looks like this –

US Health Index Graphic - US Workers Comp Problem
(c) Chart copyright – Numbeo – using the above link

Wow!  I said wait, let’s break that down further.  We need to regionalize that number.   Looking at the comparison of the Americas –

Americas Health Index Numbeo
(c) Numbeo.com

The US is 5th behind Mexico,Canada, Ecuador, and Argentina.  You can check with Numbeo to see how it calculates the numbers.  They even give out the algorithm used = transparency.

Hiring Can Result in Workers Comp Problem

I would never discourage hiring anyone with a known preexisting condition.   Judging from the above charts, one can see the unknown conditions amplifying the risks, not the known ones.

Do these numbers portend a future problem?  One would have to say the workers comp problem exists today and will in the future.

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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

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