Insight, analysis & opinion from Joe Paduda
I’ll stipulate to this – ACA needs major fixing. See below, and multiple past posts, for my take on what’s needed. Unfortunately that doesn’t look likely. The internecine warfare among Republicans over the American Health Care Act was inevitable, and … Continue reading ACA Deathwatch: Republicans should hope AHCA doesn’t pass
Read More...Hospitals are losing work comp share. You would think that’s good news as non-hospital care is much cheaper. But that may well be wrong. The hospital info was the headline from Carol Telles’ kickoff presentation Friday morning at WCRI’s Annual Conference. Workers’ … Continue reading WCRI – What’s happening with medical?
Read More...Good morning all – it’s going to be a busy day in health reform land – so here’s the latest. Republicans have released their long-secret healthcare plans; don’t get all excited as it’s going nowhere, mostly because Congressional Republicans aren’t … Continue reading ACA Deathwatch – (some) Republicans reveal their bill
Read More...Several states have seen precipitous decreases in the amount of opioids dispensed per claim. KY, NY, MD, and MI all saw reductions in excess of 35%. In every one of the states WCRI studed, at least 30% of patients with … Continue reading Opioid use in work comp has dropped – and cannabis does reduce chronic pain
Read More...Some WCRI attendees thought my public criticism of former Republican Sen. Tom Coburn (OK) was inappropriate (many did not). Here’s why I called him out. First, in talking about disability, Coburn asserted that SSDI – Social Security Disability Income – … Continue reading Calling out Coburn at WCRI
Read More...WCRI CEO John Ruser PhD led the final panel discussing the status and future of workers’ comp as the Grand Bargain between employees and employers. Bruce Wood and Emily Spieler PhD sparred over who pays for workers’ comp and tort … Continue reading WCRI – Does the “Grand Bargain” exist? Should it continue to?
Read More...Value-based care is growing rapidly in the real world outside workers’ comp. An excellent session asked if VBC will come to work comp. Work comp care management today is really fee and utilization management using discounted networks and external vendors. … Continue reading WCRI – will value based care come to workers’ comp?
Read More...Now on to the real stuff – deep research into issues of interest only to we real work comp geeks. Dr Bogdan Savych started off this brief and information-stuffed session. Across 15 states, 14 percent of workers with lost time … Continue reading WCRI – worker outcomes – it’s blindingly obvious
Read More...Boston’s always beautiful in March – some days are even more beautiful than others. No better place for the annual gathering of the work comp geeks – myself included aka the WCRI Annual Issues & Research Conference. The kickoff session … Continue reading WCRI – Congressional perspectives
Read More...The hands of the Deathwatch Clock have been moving back for some time now, signaling that your reporter believes the chances for ACA repeal have steadily receded. The reason is clear – killing ACA would be politically devastating for Republicans, … Continue reading ACA Deathwatch: Further and further away
Read More...