Madison, WI – Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner Mark Afable recently approved an overall 5.44 percent decrease in worker’s compensation insurance rates, effective October 1, 2021. This is the sixth straight year of rate decreases in Wisconsin. “This is great news for Wisconsin’s employers and workers,” said Commissioner Afable. “As our state recovers from the pandemic, this… [Read more]
Legislative & Regulatory News
CA Insurance Commissioner Lara Lowers Workers’ Compensation Benchmark Rate
Sacramento, CA – Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara recently adopted and issued lower rates for workers’ compensation insurance as businesses continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and rehire workers — reducing the benchmark rate by $.05 to $1.41 per $100 of payroll for workers’ compensation insurance, effective September 1, 2021. Last year, Commissioner Lara resisted… [Read more]
HHS Announces $103 Million to Strengthen Resiliency, Address Burnout in Health Workforce
Washington, DC – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), recently announced the availability of an estimated $103 million in American Rescue Plan funding over a three-year period to reduce burnout and promote mental health among the health workforce. These investments, which take into particular… [Read more]
CA DWC Reopens Public Counters at District Offices
San Francisco, CA – The Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) has announced that as of July 26, 2021, the public counters at all district offices will open for in-person filing, questions, and assistance. The Return-to-Work Supplement kiosks will also reopen. Information and Assistance officers will be onsite in most offices to answer questions and provide… [Read more]
CA DWC Accepting Applications for Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) Exam October 16-23
San Francisco, CA – The Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) is now accepting applications for the Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) examination for October 2021. The examination will be held from October 16-23, 2021. DWC will offer in-person computer-based testing (CBT) for the examination using Pearson VUE. Candidates will be notified of the registration and scheduling… [Read more]
Christina Ozuna Appointed to CIGA Board of Governors
Sacramento, CA – Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara recently announced several new appointments to help drive forward the California Department of Insurance’s mission to protect consumers, including naming Christina Ozuna to the California Insurance Guarantee Association (CIGA) Board of Governors. Christina Ozuna is Vice President of Quality Assurance – Claims for Employers Holdings, Inc. Ozuna has… [Read more]
Honorable Robert A. Rapaport Named Chairman of VA Workers’ Comp Commission
Richmond, VA – Commissioner Robert A. Rapaport has been elected to a three-year term as Chairman of the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission (VWC), effective July 1, 2021. He succeeds Commissioner R. Ferrell Newman, whose term ended June 30, 2021. Commissioner Rapaport, Commissioner Newman, and Commissioner Wesley G. Marshall, serve as appellate-level judges at the VWC… [Read more]
Ohio BWC Rate Reduction Effective July 1
Columbus, OH – Ohio’s private employers will pay nearly $72 million less in premiums to the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) next fiscal year under a 7.1% rate reduction the agency’s Board of Directors approved back in February. This rate reduction became effective July 1, the start of state fiscal year 2022. It will… [Read more]
TN BWC Announces Judicial Reappointments to Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims
Nashville, TN – Abbie Hudgens, Administrator of the Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, recently announced that she has reappointed four judges to the Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims. They are: Robert Durham, Cookeville; Audrey Headrick, Chattanooga; Amber Luttrell, Jackson; and Dale Tipps, Murfreesboro. “The judges on the Court of Workers’ Compensation play a pivotal role… [Read more]
DEA Finalizes Measures to Expand Medication-Assisted Treatment
Washington, DC – The Drug Enforcement Administration recently announced an important step to improve access to medications for opioid use disorder, especially in rural areas where those suffering with opioid use disorder may have limited treatment options. Under the recently published final rule, DEA registrants who are authorized to dispense methadone for opioid use disorder… [Read more]