Leaders Speak

By Mariellen Blue, National Director of Case Management at Genex Services “You only get one chance to make a first impression.” This common phrase is especially true in establishing a positive relationship between an injured employee and the treating physician in a workers’ compensation case. A thorough initial evaluation sets the course for a successful… [Read more]

By Mike Cirillo, President, myMatrixx As mentioned in last week’s article, the concept of transparent pricing has spawned several new entrants in the workers’ compensation pharmacy benefit management (PBM) space. All with the promise of a lower price per script through transparent pricing. Established PBMs, like myMatrixx, are also offering transparency pricing models. Buyers need… [Read more]

By Mike Cirillo, President, myMatrixx As the worker’s compensation pharmacy benefit management (PBM) landscape evolves and consolidates, several startups have entered the marketplace with promises of low rates and transparency. But what exactly does that mean? Transparency means different things to different people. Knowing how much a medicine costs is transparency. Understanding the exact amount… [Read more]

By Dr. Mitch Freeman, PharmD, Chief Clinical Officer, Mitchell International Pharmacy Solutions The U.S. Surgeon General’s recent advisory on marijuana use during adolescence and pregnancy highlights a critical perspective in the push to legalize marijuana: we still do not yet know enough about the drug. As the opioid crisis continues and states look for ways… [Read more]

By Rebecca Morgan, Senior Director, Product Management, Mitchell The other day while FaceTiming with my daughter who is away at college, I was reminiscing about my own time away at college. While I was at school, I wrote hand-written letters back home every week to keep in touch with my family. I called home every… [Read more]

By Marc Pyatt, PT, Physical Medicine National Product Leader, MTI America There are many ancillary service companies in the workers’ compensation space that manage physical medicine provider networks geared towards rehabilitating injured workers. Their service portfolios typically include physical therapy, occupational therapy, certified hand therapy, aquatic therapy, telerehabilitation, FCEs, work conditioning, and work hardening. They… [Read more]

Janet Kus, President and Co-founder of MTI America When an injured worker doesn’t understand the workers’ compensation process, they are uncertain, fearful and anxious. This leads to missed appointments, deviation from treatment plans, or lack of motivation to get better. Employers play a critical role here. By showing compassion and helping injured workers fully understand… [Read more]

By Dale Berry, CP, FAAOP, LP, Orchid Medical According to The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), the costliest lost-time workers’ compensation claims by injury are for those resulting from amputation. These injuries averaged over $95,000 per workers’ compensation claim filed in 2016. For the workers’ compensation claims professional, the question “how much does a… [Read more]

By Dale Berry, CP, FAAOP, LP, Orchid Medical Workplace accidents involving amputations are profound, life-changing events. According to Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) severe injury report, there is an average of seven amputations each day in the U.S. Those who experience a catastrophic workplace accident experience physical, psychological, emotional and financial effects. An individual… [Read more]

By Kirstin Marr, President, Valen Analytics The emergence of new data sources continues to drive the evolution of the workers’ compensation industry. While the sector certainly is changing — due to the availability of several data-driven underwriting resources — there’s one massive obstacle limiting its potential: the data itself. Comparing the cost of data to… [Read more]