Jaan Sidorov has an air travel themed Health Wonk Review posted over at Disease Management Care Blog, which he calls “frequent flyer miles for your brain.” There’s a roundup of assorted news on the health care policy front ranging from a post on the growth of MinuteClinics to a look at hospital quality surveys. Get your dose of the news from some of the brightest braniacs in the health policy blogosphere.
Here are a few other health-care related news items we noted in our travels: Katharine Van Tassel of HealthLawProfBlog posts the disturbing news revealed via a survey that 36% of responding physicians don’t believe in reporting impaired colleagues. And at Managed Care Matters, Joe Paduda talks about the results of a Kaiser Health Tracking Poll that demonstrates the power of mis-information: “Half of seniors (50%) say the [heathcare reform] law will cut benefits that were previously provided to all people on Medicare, and more than a third (36%) incorrectly believe the law will “allow a government panel to make decisions about end-of-life care for people on Medicare.”
The Weekly Toll – If you haven’t visited in awhile, stop by The Weekly Toll to read about US workers who died on the job this past week. Many seasonal hazards are represented with a high toll of tractor and farming-related fatalities and construction-related deaths in this week’s grim list. And the list does not include the 8 employees of Hartford Distributors who were killed by a coworker.
Whistleblowers – Michael Fox of Jottings By An Employer’s Lawyer tell us that the difference between cloth and leather gloves is just over $1 million in his post about a Maine court’s ruling in favor of a whistleblower who was terminated after making complaints about safety and working conditions. Maine courts aren’t the only ones who are taking a dim view of retaliation against employees who report safety problems: at Today’s Workplace, Mike Hall posts that OSHA takes whistleblowers seriously and has established a website to offer a Whistleblower Protection Program.
Teen workers – Elizabeth Cooney writes about young employees who face injury or even death on the job in an article in the Boston Globe. Teens often are employed in some of the most dangerous jobs and have little in the way of training, as evidenced by the fact that the nonfatal injury rate for 15- to 17-year-olds in the United States was 5.2 per 100 full-time equivalent workers per year, double the rate for adults 25 and older. She discusses research from the state’s Teens at Work initiative, which revealed that of “208 teens under age 18 who had been injured at work from 2003 through 2007, about half said they had no safety training. About 15 percent said there was no supervisor on site when they were hurt. Almost a quarter said they had no work permit.”
Remarkable story – Chrissy gets a new face from Work Comp Complex Care: “…her story of recovery is incredible on several levels – for the medical technology involved; for the reminder that dedicated health care professionals have the power to make a huge difference in a patient’s quality of life; and for the grace and attitude of the woman who suffered a devastating, life-changing injury and did not let it defeat her.”
Protecting football players – In Hitless or Witless?, Skip Rozin of WSJ.com discusses new NFL safeguards to protect football players from serious head injuries. Long overdue, and more is needed. The biggest hurdle will be overcoming the culture. As Rozin puts it “One of the biggest obstacles here is the athletes’ code of playing hurt.”
Nursing shifts – A new study from the University of Maryland-Baltimore reveals that long shifts pose health hazards for nurses – and may increase the risk to patients, as well. Study authors said that “the most common problems with an overemphasis on 12-hour shifts are needle-stick injuries, musculoskeletal disorders, drowsy driving, and other health breakdowns related to sleep deprivation.”
Legal briefs – In South Carolina, the court ruled that free living quarters offered as inducement for employment are considered wages. In a case involving horseplay, an Iowa court ruled in favor of a butt-shaking employee on appeal. A Washington court found that a fitness for duty test did not violate the ADA.
OSHA – Dwayne Towles of Advanced Safety Health News Blog warns employers that OSHA is scrutinizing safety incentive programs and may be asking for any written policies or details of any contests or promotions. They are looking for programs that might discourage employees from reporting injuries. Towles offers his thoughts for how to handle matters should OSHA come calling. And while on the topic of OSHA visits, SafetyNewsAlert offers additional suggestions in prepping for an inspection: top 10 dos and don’ts for OSHA inspections from 2 OSHA inspectors.
Posts Tagged ‘South Carolina’
Flighty Health Wonk Review and sundry other news blurbs
Thursday, August 5th, 2010News roundup: Oregon’s WC success, aftermath of California’s fires, and more
Monday, October 29th, 2007Oregon’s success with workers’ comp – Can you imagine a state where rates haven’t increased in nearly 20 years? No, this isn’t a dream – it’s happening in Oregon. Joe Paduda of Managed Care Matters takes a closer look and analyzes Oregon’s success in workers’ comp. Joe notes that there is no single silver bullet, but a total package that contributes to the great results: an active bipartisan stakeholder group that includes management and labor; continual monitoring of the system to measure both processes and outcomes; a structured dispute resolution process with a focus on expediting cases; state-run incentives for return to work; and remarkable employer buy-in to every facet of the program, including OSHA inspections. Go read Joe’s post, he offers more detail.
South Carolina – In September, Governor Mark Sanford issued an executive order requiring the state’s Workers’ Compensation Commission to use objective standards in an effort to control benefit awards which were reported to vary “wildly” averaging 81% higher than other states. This order is receiving push back and prompted a recent clarification of the Workers Comp Order.
California fire update – Fitch Ratings says that the Southern California fires could be the costliest catastrophe insured loss event this year. ” … a preliminary estimate by EQECAT, Inc. has indicated insured losses to date have exceeded $1 billion and will continue to grow. Risk Management Solutions (RMS) estimated insured losses of between $900 million and $1.6 billion and warned that losses could even exceed this level if the wildfires continue to spread. Fitch estimates that each $1 billion of insured loss adds about 20 basis points to the industry’s 2007 loss ratio based on Fitch’s almost $440 billion 2007 net earned premium forecast. Fitch also notes that each $1 billion of homeowners insured loss adds about 190 basis point to the industry’s homeowners 2007 loss ratio.”
Disaster planning – In the wake of the California fires, SHRM has issuing some excellent reports on the employer response to the disaster and how HR is coping in California. These articles make for interesting reading as case reports and they also provide valuable lessons for employers in disaster planning.
NY constructions – Construction Means Debris; Gravity Means It Falls – When a steel bucket tumbled 53 stories off the future Bank of America tower near Bryant Park on Wednesday, raining debris and sending people running for cover, it was hardly a novelty. It was the 74th time this year that something fell from a construction site in New York City, the Buildings Department said yesterday. (Thanks to rawblogXport for the pointer)
News roundup: SC, AZ, NY, energy workers, and dangerous jobs
Monday, June 11th, 2007South Carolina – Lawmakers reach deal on workers’ comp overhaul. In a long-awaited move, legislators came to agreement on workers comp reforms this past Friday, but the full House and Senate will need to approve the bill when they return for a special session June 19. As expected, the Second Injury Fund will be phased out by 2013. Also, fraud penalties have been toughened – particularly for employers who potentially face stiff penalties and jail for premium fraud or for failure to carry workers comp coverage. It also makes it a requirement that employees and their physicians provide information to employers and insurance claims handlers; defines repetitive trauma; clarifies payment for shoulder or hip injuries; and offers a mechanism for employers to more broadly challenge back injury claims and permanent disability.
Arizona – The legislature has given preliminary approval to a labor-employer compromise bill that would increase benefit caps for workers’ compensation. Benefits are currently capped at $2,400 and would rise to $3,000 and $3600 in 2008 and 2009 respectively, and then be adjusted annually by as much as 5 percent. Business interests came to agreement to avoid the possibility of a ballot initiative and labor in turn modified their demands and agreed to work to with business on medical cost issues.
New York – State Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo has unveiled a plan to reduce the time of workers’ comp dispute resolution from the current 6 months to 90 days. This plan is an offshoot of the recent state reform that raised the benefit from $400 to $700 a week. Meanwhile, also in New York, Joe Paduda discusses an attempted rollback of a reform measure that would allow employers to direct workers to designated pharmacies.
Cold war workers still out in the cold – In an ongoing shameful saga, Rocky Flats nuclear workers face potential benefit denial this week as their case is considered. The nuclear workers continue to die from cancer while federal health officials and a White House Advisory board dispute the rules of a 2000 law intended to compensate energy workers in America’s nuclear agencies who were exposed to damaging levels of radiation. Governor Ritter has appealed to the board to help the ailing workers and threatens to bring the matter to Congress if help is not forthcoming.
Meanwhile, a similar benefit battle is being waged by Dow Chemical workers and their survivors in Madison Illinois. This news story from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch offers an excellent overview of the history and issues facing workers in their uphill battle to get compensation. For more background, see Out in the cold; America’s cold war energy workers.
Dangerous Jobs – There’s a terrific photo essay on Alaskan Fishermen in the art magazine with the unflattering name of Fecal Face, which is a good follow-on to the Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch series. The job of fishing in Alaska continues to be among the riskiest work in the nation.
News roundup: workplace cancers, medical costs, SC reform, ergonomics, photo of the week
Monday, April 30th, 2007Workplace cancer – According to the World Health Organization, at least 200,000 workers die each year from cancers related to work exposures, such as asbestos, benzene, and second-hand smoke. Nearly half of those deaths – or 90,000 each year, are related to asbestos. Think that asbestos exposure is no longer a problem here in the U.S.? Think again.
Chlorine exposure – The Arkansas Court of Appeals reversed a denial of benefits for a city water department worker who had died after exposure to chlorine gas. Jerry Slaughter died one month after being spewed in the face by chlorine that escaped from a cracked cylinder. A doctor retained by the city suggested that his death was related to a parasitical infection commonly associated with HIV, so the state Workers’ Compensation Commission found that chemical exposure was “but one factor” contributing to Slaughter’s death, not the major cause. The Appeals Court found Slaughter’s treating physician to be compelling and sided with his opinion that the exposure was “the major precipitation event.”
Implants and pharma costs – Joe Paduda has a few interesting posts related to cost items that can add to a claim’s medical bill. First, he looks at the often all-too-cozy relationship between physicians and big pharma. In another post, he suggest taking another look at the invoice for implants used in spine surgery, bone and joint surgery. The price tag can be hefty – adding 11-33% to hospital bills in California.
South Carolina – does it seem like workers comp reform in South Carolina has been in the offing for an awfully long time? In the light of a recent NCCI recommendation that the loss cost level be increased by 23.7 percent, the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America is speaking out.
Shavers cramp – as the nature of the work we do changes, so do the risks. Jobs have changed considerably since 1923. Check out some of the occupational ergonomic maladies of yesteryear. (Thanks to Ergonomics in the News for the pointer.)
Photo of the week – from the Naval Safety Center – Eyewash Yikes and Eyewash Yuk.
NY Second Injury Fund: the clock is ticking for recovery opportunities
Monday, April 2nd, 2007Employers and insurers in NY take note: if you have claims with potential for second injury fund reimbursement, your window of opportunity for recouping recovery dollars has narrowed significantly. New York just passed legislation which includes provisions to phase out their fund. Also in the works, South Carolina legislators are discussing a schedule to close their fund as well, bringing a plan that has been under discussion for years one giant step closer to enactment.
New York Special Disability Fund – phasing out by 2010
The New York workers compensation reform bill, which was recently signed into law by Governor Eliot Spitzer, lays out a schedule for shutting the Special Disability Fund (aka Second Injury Fund) to new claims on or after July 1 of this year, and closing the fund down for all new reimbursement claims by July 1, 2010, regardless of date of injury. These are the major legislative provisions, but as the saying goes, the devil is in the details, which the folks at Insurance Recovery Group have explained in greater detail: NY Workers’ Compensation Reform Impact on Second Injury Fund.
South Carolina Second Injury Fund – next up?
After years of debate around workers compensation reforms, the South Carolina Senate and executives of the Second Injury Fund are looking at possible schedules for closing the fund. Some proposals under discussion have this happening by 2013.
More information: For a primer on second injury funds, see our April 2005 post Maximizing recovery: Second injury funds.
