February 2012 Issue

Events Happening in Your Area

Texas DWC Programs for New Rules. Dates and locations are: San Angelo Feb. 17; Beaumont Feb. 22; El Paso, Feb. 23; Abilene Feb. 23; Welasco and Wichita Falls, Feb. 23; Waco and Odessa Feb. 29.

Monterey, Calif. - 2012 PARMA Annual Risk Management Conference, 2/14/2012

Washington, D.C. - National Chiropractic Legislative Conference, 2/16/2012

San Diego - First AIP Educational Luncheon of the year on Feb. 21. Info. 

San Bernardino, Calif. - Use of Psychological Testing in Forensic Situations - San Bernardino County Bar Assn. Brown Bag lunch, 2/22/2012

Los Angeles - DWC Educational Conference, Feb. 23-24. Sheraton Gateway Hotel. Details.

Chicago - National Association of Mutual Insurnance Cos. (NAMIC) Commercial Lines Seminar, 2/29/2012 

(Check the Upcoming Events for more details.)

Back by Popular Demand: Medicare Set-Aside Webinar

Due to the overwhelming response to the Medicare Set-Aside webinar offered this month, we will replay the one-hour program on Wednesday, March 7 at 1 p.m. The title is "Medicare Set-Aside Update: What You Don't Know Can Hurt You," presented by compliance expert Kim Wiswell of CompProjections.

If you were turned away from or missed the February live event, this is rare second chance to review the requirements for funding a Medicare Set-Aside allocation on a workers' comp claims. We anticipate this session will fill up quickly again. One CE credit hour for California legal and claims is available. 

The webinar is also available online - no waiting. The cost is $24.19, and is suitable for individual or group training about compliance with the Secondary Payer Act.  MSA Update online.

To register for the March 7 replay, click here.

Our New Policy About Free Monthly Webinars 

The monthly "One on One @ 1" webinar series has consistently drawn a capacity audience. The purpose of the series is to provide quality training to a cross-section of workers' compensation professionals and employers. To that end, we are instituting a new enrollment policy:


"Participation in a WorkCompCentral free webinar is limited. Priority is given to persons who have not previously participated in a free webinar. Permisson to participate in a WorkCompCentral free webinar is solely within the discretion of WorkCompCentral and service may be denied to anyone at any time."


Why the policy? We want as many people as possible to try our webinars and be eligible for a free hour of training. Unfortunately, we have limited enrollment in these webinars. Thank you to everyone for making the "One on One' events successful. Pain management, burn care and medical treatment costs are themes for upcoming free webinars. Look for announcements in our weekly emails and here.

WORK COMP NEWS FROM THE STATES

Georgia Treatment Guidelines Hit Political Roadblock: 2/13/12
NCCI Releases Discussion Paper on Volunteer Firefighters - 2/13/12
Delaware OWC Updates Changes to Utilization Review Form - 2/13/12
Maine Task Force Will Tackle Prescription Drug Abuse - 2/10/12
Florida DWC Reverting to Charge-Based Plan for Outpatient Hospital Fees - 2/9/12
Appellate Court Reversing 1/3 of SWCB Rulings - 2/8/12
Set-Aside Case May Go to U.S. Supreme Court - 2/7/12
NFL Brain-Injury Claims Consolidated in Penn. - 2/2/12

Read the news from your state

Ohio Restricts 'Shopping' for Pills and Pain Doctors 

Overdose deaths driven by prescription painkiller abuse are now the leading cause of accidental death in Ohio, and the state's Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is doing something to stop the practice of "pharmacy" shopping by claimants who are addicted to pain medications.

The BWC this year adopted a pharmacy "lock-in" program aimed at improving the safety of medication prescribed to workers recovering from on-the-job injuries and to curb doctor- and pharmacy-shopping.

Called the "Coordinated Services Program," it is designed to limit the dangers that can arise when medications are prescribed by multiple physicians and are processed in different pharmacies, Bureau Administrator Steve Buehrer reported. The new program allows the bureau, under certain circumstances, to restrict an injured worker to the use of a single pharmacy for non-emergency prescriptions. The injured worker selects the pharmacy from a list of eligible pharmacies.

The restriction can be imposed if the bureau finds a pattern of possible misuse of prescription drugs over a three-month period. The bureau also can restrict an injured worker convicted of a drug offense to the use of a single prescribing physician, selected by the injured worker from bureau-certified physicians, in order to receive reimbursement from the bureau for non-emergency prescriptions.

Straight Talk from Two Judges About Attorney Mistakes

The new live seminar at WorkCompCentral is on Saturday, March 24 and features two workers' compensation judges talking about where attorneys fall short and how they can improve.

"Presenting Your Best Case: Tips, Blips and Judge's Quips," is a collaboration of Judges Paige Levy of Marina del Rey and Colleen Casey of San Francisco. These two popular speakers for WorkCompCentral seminars will join for a daylong MCLE and Legal Specialization program.

For a sample of their topics, click here.

Six hours of California State Bar Minimum Continuing Legal Education or Legal Specialization credit is available. Anyone who litigates or supervises claims litigation is invited to attend, including: defense attorney, applicants' attorney, paralegals and hearing representatives, claims and TPA group leaders, and the workers' comp program manager for a self-insurer and/or self-administered self-insured.

Cost is $329 and the seminar location is WorkCompCentral in Camarillo. Registration information.

Which Case Information System is Right for You?

That is a good question! Former DWC policy adviser Susan Gard will explain and demonstrate how to use the three different claims-information systems for California on a March 2 webinar. Individuals or offices that stopped using EDEX after EAMS was launched will want to attend. Cost to attend is $59.

California currently offers three systems for accessing workers' comp litigated claims data. EDEX was the go-to system for two decades, and is still in use. EAMS is the newer system, and the Public Search tool is a free lookup service about claims information in the California Division of Workers' Compensation database. This training answers the question, "Which lookup system is right for me?"

"EDEX, EAMS and the Public Search Tool"" is a presentation of WorkCompCentral Education.

Dates Announced for Next QME Exam 

DEADLINE TO APPLY IS MARCH 15. THE EXAM IS APRIL 28.

The California Division of Workers' Compensation has begun accepting applications for the April 28 examination to become a Qualified Medical Evaluator. Medical doctors, doctors of osteopathy, chiropractors, psychologists, dentists or acupuncturists are eligible to apply.

WorkCompCentral Education has a study course about the California QME test. This self-study, online prep course has helped hundreds to prepare for the California med-legal exam.

STEPS TO TAKE:

1. Read the DWC announcement for exam details and deadlines. Read.
2. Apply by downloading the application from the DWC Web site. Apply.
3. Start preparing for the April exam. Enroll in our study course. Prepare.

"The (prep) course was great. I think I may have gotten 100 percent and it was due to your course!!!"
- M.K., Santa Cruz

For assistance or questions, call 805-484-0333, ext. 113 or 133 to speak with a school adviser.