Featured Articles

What constitutes an independent contractor versus an employee? California’s Assembly Bill 5 (AB 5) is the first piece of legislation to look at reclassifying gig workers as employees. And it’s started a national debate. Sedgwick’s Vice President Workers’ Compensation, Scotty Benton, shares his expertise. First things first. What’s a gig economy? Working “gigs” isn’t a… [Read more]

What industry trends will impact businesses in 2020? By finding the common threads that connect us all, we can come together and explore everything from consumer experience to digital development. Ushering in a new decade means new conversations, new complexities, new and exciting trends to weave into our existing ways of doing things. While the… [Read more]

The aging workforce has been identified as a risk to workers’ compensation medical claims, primarily because older populations sometimes require more complex treatment, which can mean higher medical costs and increased compensable time. Recognizing that older workers are highly valued for their experience and good judgment, there is good evidence to support the notion that… [Read more]

By Porter Leslie, President of Ametros “A good claim is a closed claim,” is a phrase often overheard in risk manager and claims adjuster circles. Employers, insurance carriers and other workers’ compensation payers tend to focus on settling claims, and phrases like this reinforce a one-dimensional view to settlement – as a way for the… [Read more]

By Vonesa Wenzel, Partner, HomeCare Connect Healthcare texting has gained traction as physician practices and some managed care companies incorporate texts into patient communications, often to send appointment reminders and clinic directions. Studies show that healthcare texts can improve compliance with treatment and lead to behavioral changes, including smoking cessation, weight loss, and diabetes management.… [Read more]

Data is a great resource for improving workers’ compensation programs. At NWCDC this fall, two separate sessions will help you figure out which metrics deserve your attention. With mounds of data at their disposal, workers’ compensation managers and financial executives might find it difficult to know exactly which metrics can help them create programs that… [Read more]

By Michelle Despres, PT, CEAS II, CETS VP, National Product Leader for Physical Therapy, One Call Musculoskeletal disorders – injury or pain in joints, ligaments, muscles, nerves and tendons – are the second largest contributor to disability worldwide, with lower back pain being the single leading cause of disability globally. Some disorders arise suddenly and… [Read more]

By Brian Allen, VP of Government Affairs, Mitchell Are you up-to-date with all of the legislative changes happening at the state and federal level? Take a deeper dive into the current legislative and regulatory landscape in this interview with Mitchell’s VP of Government Affairs, Brian Allen. Learn what topics are permeating legislative sessions, from opioids… [Read more]

We talk about innovations in insuretech, robotic process automation in claims management, self-service tools for employers, employees and consumers, and the next wave of global intake and triage with Leah Cooper, Managing Director, Global Consumer Technology, Sedgwick. How can traditional insurance carriers and administrators develop an approach to adopting new insuretech innovations? Leah: As anyone… [Read more]

By Phil Walls, RPh, Chief Clinical Officer, myMatrixx myMatrixx released our 2018 Drug Trend Report on April 18, and it contained a lot of good news along with some cautionary warnings. First, the good news. Both the price per pill and utilization declined overall; opioid use took a big dip with average spending for opioids… [Read more]