Medical Exams on Social Media Ruled Free Speech

A Washington State law prohibiting the posting of independent medical examinations (IME) on social media has been ruled to be an unconstitutional prior restraint on free speech.
A state Court of Appeals on Monday ruled in Ten Injured Workers v State that a section of a 2022 law that granted injured workers the right to make an audio/video recording of an IME wrongly placed restrictions on sharing the recording.
That law allows workers compensation claimants to make recordings of medical exams ordered by the Department of Labor, or by self-insured employers to establish medical opinions and findings.
The Washington Law Center argued in the case that injured workers should have the right to use social media to crowdsource information or seek insights from others and we aim to protect those rights for them.
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A former New York state U.S. Postal Service worker faces a possible five years in prison after he pleaded guilty Wednesday to four counts of workers’ compensation fraud.
Christopher Gleason falsely claimed benefits while secretly working another job.
He admitted to the fraud that originated with his statement that he had no outside employment while collecting workers’ compensation after a job-related ankle injury in January 2022.
However, he was earning income from construction work during the same period, defrauding the government of nearly $15,000.
In addition to the potential prison time, he also potentially faces a fine of $250,000, and a three-year supervised release. He will also be required to pay restitution for the fraudulently obtained benefits.
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Concentra said Wednesday that it has added a behavioral health service channel to its workers’ compensation telemedicine platform.
The occupational medicine provider said it has hired psychologists with PSYPACT affiliation to expand its team of licensed clinicians with expertise in delivering mental health testing and treatment for covered workers in a virtual environment.
The firm said services could include validity testing for referrals, treatment for work injury patients with diagnosed mental health conditions, and counseling sessions with employees suffering from conditions associated with nonphysical injuries, such as PTSD.
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The Labor Department’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs has set a one-hour webinar orientation for providers recently approved to provide medical treatment and evaluations for injured federal workers.
The program will be held from 4-5 p.m. ET on Aug. 21.
The program includes an overview of the medical bill processing system, including enrollment updates, user administration, authorization submission, and billing.
Providers and their billing or office staff will be able to gain insight on helpful information, available tools, and how to request further assistance.
Registration is required, via this link.