Insight, analysis & opinion from Joe Paduda
Good friends and colleagues Frank Pennachio and Susan Toussaint’s WorkComp Advisory Group is conducting their annual get together at the Blackstone Hotel in Chicago (scene for much of the movie ‘The Untouchables’. (Remember the scene with the baseball bat in … Continue reading Are workers comp claims ‘undercounted’?
Read More...Update – parts of this post may be incorrect or mischaracterize the nature of AHCS’ business. I’m trying to get AHCS to respond to my request for information and help me better understand their business model. Original post follows It’s … Continue reading UPDATE – Repackaging drugs in comp; the wild west indeed!
Read More...Medical malpractice is one of the cost drivers about which there is much disagreement, some contend it is a major contributor to overall system costs, while others view med mal as a relatively minor factor. A new study [abstract only] … Continue reading Defensive medicine – a non-factor in health care costs
Read More...If there’s one area of work comp pharmacy management that’s making payers crazy, it’s physician dispensing (followed closely by compounding). The number of physicians and clinics dispensing drugs is growing; as one state seeks to reel in abusive practices, the … Continue reading MCM investigative reporting – physician dispensing in Florida
Read More...Summer is ending next week, and favorable tax treatment will sunset not much later. With the end of vacation season fast approaching, investors will likely step up the pace, while owners looking to maximize their take-home are motivated to get … Continue reading Acquisitions and future deals – the latest in the work comp services business
Read More...There’s a lot going on in California’s workers comp system – medical costs zooming up and driving premium increases along the way, narcotic usage skyrocketing, a dramatic increase in scripts for medical foods and compounds, judges upholding controversial decisions, and … Continue reading California work comp – Part One, the fee schedule debate
Read More...Now that health reform is the law of the land, the focus has turned to implementing the law itself. As anyone knows, the real work, and the real impact, is in the details, the definitions, the requirements and operating guidelines. … Continue reading Implementing Health Reform – Health Wonk Review reports
Read More...The good folks at CWCI just published a research report (The Cost and Utilization of Compound Drugs, Convenience Packs and Medical Foods in California WC) documenting the rise in spend on medical foods, repackaged drugs, and compound drugs from 2006 … Continue reading Medical foods and workers comp
Read More...A new report documents the impact of the recession on the health care system, and for many Americans, the news is proof of what they know all too well – higher deductibles and copays are reducing their ability to access … Continue reading The cost of forgoing care
Read More...We’re learning a lot from Massachusett’s experiment in universal coverage – and some of the lessons are rather enlightening. Take this one. According to Bestwire, Lora Pellegrini, president of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, said something along the lines … Continue reading Managing health care costs – whose job is it?
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