Leaders Speak

By Shannon Cressel, Director of Provider Relations, Genex Services If you ask a recently hired claims adjuster what an IME is and what it’s for, they may not be able to provide an answer. And that’s understandable given the sheer volume of information a new recruit needs to absorb in order to manage claims effectively.… [Read more]

By Melissa McGarry, Director, Product Implementation, Coventry & Apricus By now, most of us have heard about the Great Resignation — a trend in which millions of employees across the nation are leaving their positions for better opportunities. COVID-19 was the catalyst, as the pandemic led many people to look for better pay, enhanced benefits… [Read more]

By John C. Peters, PhD, Chief Science Officer, Gain Life, Inc. In a previous article, we summarized data from a quantitative survey among frontline Workers Compensation (WC) professionals (adjusters and others). The survey looked into job stress as it affects their physical and mental wellbeing, their sense of meaning and purpose, whether they feel their… [Read more]

By John C. Peters, PhD, Chief Science Officer, Gain Life, Inc. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been considerable attention devoted to appreciating the amazing performance of front line health care professionals and the personal impacts of the crises they endure. These individuals already had stressful jobs prior to the pandemic dealing… [Read more]

By Shawn Deane, General Counsel, Ametros There is a lot of pre-settlement focus, time and attention paid to ensuring Medicare’s interests are protected though the Medicare Set Aside (MSA) process in workers’ compensation claims that resolve future medicals. The purpose of an MSA is to “…estimate, as accurately as possible, the total cost that will be… [Read more]

By Jayson Gallant, Senior Strategic Account Executive, Ametros Over the past six years I’ve had the opportunity to witness a variety of settlement discussions that involved Workers’ Compensation Medicare Set Asides (WCMSAs) both from the Plaintiff and Defense perspectives. I left many of these discussions with a consistent thought—there is little to no awareness or consideration about… [Read more]

By Jill Harris,  Senior Vice President, Network Operations, Coventry For years, the patient-to-provider ratio in the U.S. has continued to grow as an increasing aging population and decreasing provider pool has created a significant health care shortage crisis. Now, the pandemic’s toll on clinicians has exacerbated the situation. As a result, the workers’ compensation industry… [Read more]

By Dave Torrence, Executive VP and General Manager, Pharmacy Solutions, Mitchell As we enter 2022, the workers’ compensation market is still plagued by many of the same issues it has been facing since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic — fluctuating claim volumes, changing regulations and growing uncertainty about the future. Though it is impossible… [Read more]

By Linda Colsen, Senior VP of Product Management, One Call In October 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed a rule to establish a new category of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. This rule is tied to the implementation of legislation passed back in 2017 that allows the new category of hearing aids to… [Read more]

By Linda Colsen, Senior VP of Product Management, One Call When it comes to helping injured workers regain independence after suffering a catastrophic injury, historically, the workers’ compensation industry has focused its energy on home modifications – extensive, permanent changes, such as reconfiguring porches and entryways, bathroom modifications, kitchen remodels, and new flooring. While intended… [Read more]