Medicare Set-Asides: Fundamentals on Protecting Medicare’s Interest
Medicare’s federal funds assist in covering a wide range of healthcare costs for adults age 65 and older, as well as for younger persons with specific needs and applicable benefits. The Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) Act directs the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) with protecting Medicare’s future interest in cases involving Medicare beneficiaries […]
Creative Strategies for Workers’ Compensation Claims Settlement
by Staff March, 2023 Let’s face it – Workers’ Compensation claims can be challenging. You know how difficult it can be to get to compromise and release – between managing client and injured worker expectations and handling negotiations, it can be a real struggle to get all parties on the same page. What if you […]
Requesting Consulting Physicians Within an MPN
Labor Code 4616.3(c) establishes a process that allows injured employees to obtain second and third opinions from physicians within a medical provider network. It states, “If an injured employee disputes either the diagnosis or the treatment prescribed by the treating physician, the employee may seek the opinion of another physician in the medical provider network. […]
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act: Impacting Employers
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) was signed into law on December 29, 2022, and goes into effect on June 27, 2023. What is this new law all about and what are some of its impacts? To answer these questions, a summary of the new law is presented along with three very important related topics, […]
Revisions to Medical-Legal Evaluation Regulations
California 2023 Employment Law Updates: Key Changes to Medical-Legal Evaluations The Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) introduced important updates to medical-legal evaluation regulations, effective February 2, 2023. These updates, detailed in the DWC’s official announcement, aim to improve scheduling processes and accessibility. Key Changes to Medical-Legal Evaluation Regulations Extended Time Limits for QME Appointments Initial […]
IEA Courses Start Next Week! Time to Enroll and Get Started
IEA Fall schedule of classes is almost underway. Instructor led courses in Workers’ Compensation, Disability and Absence Management and Risk Management start next week. There’s still time to enroll so choose your class today and let’s get started. Instructor Led Training Learn with the benefit of a subject matter expert. Interactive classes presented in live […]
IEA Launches Disability and Absence Management Training On-Demand
El Segundo, Calif., August 18th, 2022 – The Insurance Education Association (IEA), a leading provider of professional training programs in workers’ compensation, disability management, risk management, and human resources, announces the launch of its on-demand curriculum in Disability and Absence Management. The Certified Professional in Disability Management (CPDM) designation addresses the challenges faced by employers […]
Leave of Absence and Workplace Accommodations
July 26th, 2022, by ShaunTeah L. Radcliffe, CPDM If you are reading this article, chances are you are familiar with Leave of Absence and Workplace Accommodations. However, you still have some questions, right? As a People Leader, do you often ask yourself, “How can I understand when an employee needs a leave of absence or […]
Hiring Workers’ Comp Adjusters? Compliance Training is Your Challenge.
If you’re hiring new workers’ compensation adjusters in California, you already know that your biggest challenge is compliance training. Section 2592, Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations defines the minimum training requirements for workers’ compensation claims adjusters and medical bill reviewers. For claims adjusters, the State requires 160 hours of training, 120 of […]
SCOTUS Rules Arbitration Agreements Can Waive PAGA Claims
A blog post by Gregory B. Wilbur, June 2022 In a highly-anticipated opinion released yesterday, Viking River Cruises, Inc. v. Moriana, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that arbitration agreements between employers and employees can both send an employee’s claims under the Private Attorneys General Act, or PAGA, to binding private arbitration and prevent […]