Previous injuries can complicate claims
- Pre-existing conditions are an ongoing concern in the workers’ compensation industry.
- Many workers worry that pre-existing conditions will prevent them from getting benefits in Washington state.
- A pre-existing condition is a condition that a worker already has, before a work injury or occupational disease.
- Pre-existing conditions include a congenital disease that existed since birth, accidents or injuries during childhood or adolescence, or past injuries that happened outside work.
Patients struggled with improvements
- Workers’ compensation patients with low back pain reported lower improvements in functional status scores following physical therapy than patients covered by other payment systems, the WCRI found.
- The WCRI study examined the difference in the functional recoveries reported by workers’ compensation patients with low back pain, compared with non-workers’ compensation patients.
- The study was based on a patient-reported outcome measure that assesses the patient’s functional status during the episode of physical therapy and addresses the following questions:
- “Patient-reported outcomes have assumed a place of high importance among governmental and non-workers’ compensation payment systems,” said John Ruser, WCRI president and CEO.
Cigna makes adjustments
- Cigna is making several corporate changes that will include the way the company handles workers’ compensation.
- The firm is changing the holding company name to The Cigna Group.
- The company has three brands: The Cigna Group, the global health company; Cigna Healthcare, the health benefits provider; and Evernorth Health Services, the pharmacy, care and benefits provider.
- Evernorth Health Services includes myMatrixx, which manages drug benefits for workers’ compensation programs.
Kansas lawmakers look at reform
- Kansas House Democrats plan to propose several measures that support the overall conditions and safety in the workplace.
- The lawmakers will pursue workers’ compensation reform as well as bring back local option prevailing wages.
- Members hope to convert the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System 3 retirees to a more fair retirement plan.
- Kansas is just over a month into the current legislative session.