Virtual health care boosting workers’ comp
- Telemedicine increased dramatically during the pandemic, but it’s still relatively new in the healthcare industry.
- But since the onset of the pandemic, at least 30 states have incorporated telemedicine policies into workers’ comp offerings.
- Some states are beginning to include Medicare or Medicaid-paid at-home phlebotomist visits.
- The evolution of telemedicine equipment is also experiencing an upward trend.
Another rate decrease
- The New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance approved a rate proposal submitted by NCCI.
- It will reduce voluntary workers’ compensation loss costs by an average of 10.7 percent, to become effective for policies renewing on or after January 1, 2023.
- This marks the eighth consecutive year in which OSI approves a loss cost decrease for workers’ compensation.
- The continuous improvement in loss costs is a result of a long-term negative trend in claims frequency, along with a flat indemnity severity and a decreasing medical severity.
OSHA Fines Mattress Retailer
- Oregon OSHA fined Mattress Megastore in Hillsboro more than $66,000 for multiple workplace safety violations.
- The infractions include willfully exposing employees to serious injury or death from potential traffic accidents.
- The penalties followed an inspection launched by the division in response to a confidentially filed complaint.
- The inspection reportedly found the employer repeatedly and knowingly exposed employees to potential traffic accidents by requiring them to operate a one-ton box delivery truck that was unsafe.
Bill would give insurers more time to deny claims
- A bill in Texas would give insurers 60 days to contest or deny a workers’ compensation claim for certain public safety employees.
- H.B. 790 would apply to claims for “benefits, compensation, or assistance by certain public safety employees and survivors of certain public safety employees.”
- The bill states that if a workers comp insurer denies a claim of medical benefits on or before the 60th day after it received “reasonable notice” of a workplace injury.
- An administrative judge finds the claim is compensable, the insurer is liable to reimburse the injured worker for all reasonable medical expenses.