Quote of the day
"Managed care companies have offered all sorts of explanations — with one falling back on the old claim that a newspaper's analysis of the system is 'false and misleading.' We've heard that one before."
Wheeling Intelligencer editorial, on recent revelations that the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation is handling half as many cases as it did nearly a decade ago but paying 40 percent more to deal with them through the managed care system
Zenith Increases Quarterly Dividend by 25% to $0.35 Per Share
Zenith National Insurance Corp. declares a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.35 per share on its outstanding shares, an increase of 25% from $0.28 per share declared previously in 2006. Workers’ Comp Executive
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Fiserv Purchases Bay Area-Based InsureWorx
Fiserv Inc. of Brookfield, Wisc., announces that it has purchased Oakland, Calif.-based InsureWorx Inc., adding core processing software for property and casualty insurers to Fiserv’s product lines. InsureWorx, which serves workers’ comp, commercial property and casualty and risk administration organizations, had $43 million in revenue in 2005. Business Journal of Milwaukee
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Oregon County Experiments With Broad Worksite Wellness Initiative
Using a $50,000 a year grant from the Centers for Disease Control, Oregon’s Lane County over the past year has launched a walking program, held brown bag talks on diet and nutrition, and has worked with employees and food vendors to stock vending machines in county buildings with healthful choices. The county is one of many Eugene-area employers that are attempting to improve employee health, which also can reduce costs of health and workers’ compensation insurance. By Sherri Buri McDonald, Register-Guard (Eugene, Ore.) [With Photo] Go to the Full Story…
Editorial: Fix the Managed Care Mess
If Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Administrator William Mabe is correct that the agency can do a better job of providing benefits to injured workers for less money, no time should be wasted in changing the costly managed care system. Wheeling (W.V.) Intelligencer
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Ohio BWC Moves to Cut Costs; Brokers Reject Plea Bargains
The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation continued efforts to reduce soaring medical costs Tuesday, meeting with companies the agency says must brace for lower payments for managing medical claims. Meanwhile, two investment brokers accused of bribing a former bureau official reject plea deals offered by federal prosecutors, opting instead to go to trial. By AP via WCPO (Cincinnati)
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Manitoba Set to Expand Workers’ Comp Coverage
In 2007, Manitoba plans to institute the first expansion since the 1960’s of industries covered by the Workers’ Compensation Board, following a major public review of the Manitoba Workers’ Compensation Act. National Union of Public and General Employees
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Prescription for Policy Reform
Workers’ compensation costs are increasing because state systems provide incentives for employers, employees and others to behave in ways that cause costs to be higher and workplaces to be less safe than they otherwise could be, says N. Michael Helvacian, a senior fellow with the National Center for Policy Analysis. National Center for Policy Analysis
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Charges Filed Against Owner of Wood-Chipper in Fatal Crash
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry charges a business owner with 537 counts of violating the state Workers Compensation Act for not having workers’ comp insurance for his employees. The charges came to light after an April accident in which the company’s wood chipper crashed into a van, killing a father and two of his triplets, and critically injuring the third child. WTAE-TV (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
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Truce in Norway’s Sick Leave Battle
Norway’s major labor unions and its main employers’ organization, after forming an unusual alliance, reach an agreement with the government to work together to reduce rising sick leave among workers. Aftenposten [With Photo] Go to the Full Story…