OLDWICK, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) and issuer credit rating of “a-” of Premier Group Insurance Company (Premier) (Murfreesboro, TN). The outlook for both ratings is stable. The ratings reflect Premier’s excellent capitalization and liquidity, low leverage and conservative investment portfolio. The ratings also recognize Premier’s solid… [Read more]
Workers' Compensation
J A Schlueter & Company (Parent of Smart-UR) Renames Corporation Effective Health Systems
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–James Schlueter, President of J A Schlueter & Company, announced today the divestiture of all non-technology consulting activities as well as a new name for the company, Effective Health Systems, (www.effectivehealthsystems.com). Its sole focus now is to build on its record of introducing game-changing technologies for the workers compensation medical management marketplace. “Smart-UR… [Read more]
Guarantee Insurance Company Reports First Quarter 2011 Financial Results
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., /PRNewswire/ — Patriot National Insurance Group, a leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance and services, announced today that its insurance company subsidiary, Guarantee Insurance Company, reported total net written premium of $29.6 million for the first quarter ended March 31st, 2011, an increase of 70.4% from $17.4 million reported in the same… [Read more]
Ohio BWC Investigations Result in 12 Workers’ Comp Fraud Convictions in March
Columbus – Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) Administrator/CEO Stephen Buehrer today announced 12 individuals were convicted or pleaded guilty to charges related to defrauding Ohio’s workers’ compensation system during the month of March. The court actions are the result of investigations conducted by BWC’s Special Investigations Department (SID), which works to deter, detect, investigate,… [Read more]
South Carolina WCC Proposes to Amend Maximum Allowable Payments to Medical Practitioners
The South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission proposes to amend Regulation 67-1302(A), Maximum Allowable Payments to Medical Practitioners to remove the limitation of using a relative value scale and one conversion factor set by the Commission. Under the current regulation, the Commission is limited to using a relative value scale and a single conversion factor when… [Read more]
AIA Praises Adoption of Kansas Workers’ Compensation Reform Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C., April 20, 2011 – The American Insurance Association (AIA) today praised Kansas Governor Sam Brownback and leadership in the legislature for spearheading workers’ compensation reform efforts during the 2011 legislative session. Following several months of negotiations between business and labor, the governor signed HB 2134 into law on Monday. The bill was passed… [Read more]
Kansas Governor Signs Bi-Partisan Workers Comp Reform into Law
Wichita – Kansas Governor Sam Brownback signed Substitute for HB 2134 into law today at the Dondlinger & Sons Construction Company in Wichita. Kansas Labor Secretary Karin Brownlee as well as business and labor representatives joined the Governor at the signing ceremony. The new law revises portions of the Kansas Workers Compensation Act and is… [Read more]
CA DWC Adopts New Electronic and Standardized Medical Treatment Billing Regulations
The Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) has adopted new regulations for standardized paper billing forms and electronic billing standards. The final regulations were approved by the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) and filed with the secretary of state on April 18, 2011. Approval of this rulemaking marks the completion of another set of regulations that… [Read more]
CA Insurance Commissioner Announces Sentencing of Bay Area Business Owners and Employee for Work Comp Insurance Fraud
Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones today announced that Cheryl Lee, 40, Jeffrey Ottoveggio, 49, and Bruce Campbell, 55, were sentenced in Santa Clara County Superior Court. Lee pled guilty to one misdemeanor count of unemployment insurance tax fraud and received a sentence of 100 hours of community service. Ottoveggio and Campbell both pled to one felony… [Read more]
PCI Testifies In Support of Pharmaceutical Fee Schedule Before Maryland Workers Compensation Commission
ANNAPOLIS—The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) commends and strongly supports the Maryland Workers Compensation Commission’s proposal to adopt a pharmaceutical fee schedule. PCI testified in support of this proposal before that commission on April 14. According to the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), prescription drug costs in the workers compensation system has… [Read more]