An article that ran in yesterdays CompNewsNetwork demonstrates a stark difference between workers’ compensation in a regulated yet competitive environment, versus a monopolistic one where the government essentially calls all the shots. It was a story about the training of Alberta, Canada's first Occupational Health and Safety Peace Officers. Don’t get too excited. “Peace Officer”…
Oh Fey, Can You See, Why the Comp Board Doth Cite?
While portraying Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live she might have been able to see Russia from her house, but the actions of the New York Workers’ Compensation Board have indicated when it comes to protecting her employees, actress and comedian Tina Fey might not be able to see the forest for the trees. According…
Missouri Teachers Apparently Object to Being Shot on the Job
I can't say that I blame them, actually. Missouri legislators have mandated that teachers and students in that states public schools undergo “Active Shooter” drills, presumably to familiarize them with the concept of being shot. I suppose they call it the “Show Me State” for a reason. Teachers in St. Francois County, Missouri, have now…
Attorneys, Technology, Ethical Obligations and Being Burned by Social Media
Having attended numerous conference sessions on Social Media, in addition to presenting a few as well, much of the content at the ABA Mid Winter Workers' Compensation Conference Social Media session in Chicago last week was not a surprise to me. Still this session, heavily geared to attorneys in the audience, contained some information I…
Writing for Writings Sake While Bound for Chicago
I am headed to Chicago this morning to attend the American Bar Association Mid Winter Workers’ Compensation Conference at the Conrad Hilton Hotel. It appears this year that the words “Chicago” and “Mid Winter” should be taken quite seriously. It apparently snowed half a foot there yesterday and is a whopping 16 degrees this morning.…
The Unassuming Room Where Miracles Occur
There is an unassuming little room here in Florida that could teach us something in the workers' compensation industry. While the purpose of the room has nothing to do with workers' comp, it offers vital lessons in simplicity to those of us mired in the complex legislative myriad of process and procedure that drives our…
Alabama’s Potty Politician Gives Me an Idea….
A very interesting congressional campaign is brewing in the heart of Dixie. Democrat Erick Wright is currently challenging incumbent Rep. Martha Roby, R-Montgomery, in Alabama's 2nd Congressional District. Wright portrays himself as an activist, neighbor, friend, consultant and businessman. Apparently Wright is social media savvy, and has a propensity for publishing videos of himself on…
In California Bribe Scandal, Where Were the Applicant Attorneys?
I was quiet last week regarding the burgeoning bribery fraud scandal coming out of California, where a hospital owner essentially has admitted bribing doctors and others to refer patients for possibly unnecessary and overpriced back surgeries in his facilities. The fraud perpetrated by these scumbags is estimated to have cost employers over $500 million, and…
I C D Ugly Future of Medical Billing
There is a change coming to medical coding, and like it or not, it is going to have a major impact on the workers’ compensation industry. In 1979 the United States adopted the International Classification of Diseases version 9, commonly referred to today as ICD-9. It is a listing of 14,000 medical codes that are…
Roasting a Sheriff, Celebrating Sound, and a Plea for Help
As I have written previously, I am an active member of the Sertoma Club of Greater Sarasota, and February and March are a very busy time for me. If you will indulge me for a moment, I’d like to talk about two very important events that I am involved with regarding that club. Sertoma, which…