Insight, analysis & opinion from Joe Paduda
With the national work comp conference well underway, here’s what we saw/heard/learned yesterday. The session on improving medical networks led by Mark Walls included a rather blunt and direct Indictment of the work comp network business. I wasn’t there, but … Continue reading Vegas – day two
Read More...With a weekend to recover, here are the quick takes from the WCI Conference in Orlando. The ‘Headline’ keynote – Kathleen Madigan – was terrific. Glad I didn’t have to follow her; my “Industry Keynote” didn’t inspire many grins or … Continue reading The Florida comp conference – quick takes
Read More...If Medicaid isn’t your business, you may be tempted to ignore the implications of the current kerfuffle over whether or not states should accept free money to expand Medicaid. That would be a mistake. As all-powerful and influential as Medicare … Continue reading The Medicaid expansion and political choice
Read More...Medical cost containment expenses in California have doubled over six years. Yet medical expenses have continued to increase, led by facility and surgery expense, and WorkCompCentral reports the combined ratio hit 122 in 2011, a substantial jump from previous years. … Continue reading Managed care in work comp: worth the cost?
Read More...One of the concerns expressed about health reform and the additional financial burden it places on employers – particularly smaller employers – is that it will lead to fewer jobs as bosses cut employees to reduce expense. Fortunately, thanks to … Continue reading Health reform – job killer?
Read More...As our country confronts rising health care costs, it is incumbent on all of us to take responsibility for our actions and not rely on others to pay for our “freedoms”. One small way to address this is for motorcyclists … Continue reading Freedom v responsibility – another view
Read More...Late on Friday the true work comp nerds stuck around for the research workshop, while the smarter NCCI attendees headed home or hit the golf course. Barry Lipton led off with the latest info on NCCI’s research into temporary total … Continue reading NCCI research wrap-up; disability duration drivers
Read More...We’re drinking from the firehose that is Bob Hartwig’s annual discussion of economic factors affecting the property and casualty industry. His presentation was – as usual – high energy and entertaining. Example – noting that a Greek default would have … Continue reading Hartwig’s take; the economy and P&C insurance
Read More...While Coventry’s work comp division revenues were pretty much flat quarter over quarter, the company views the results as better than expected. . In comments during this morning’s Q1 2012 earnings call, CFO Randy Giles said Coventry had experienced “higher … Continue reading Coventry’s Q1 2012 earnings report – the work comp story
Read More...Tis the season for drug trend reports. Recent releases from PMSI, Express Scripts (ESI), and Progressive Medical show an ever-increasing level of sophistication and growing insight into cost drivers in workers comp pharmacy. Moreover, the layout, graphics, use of charts … Continue reading Work comp drug trends reports – tis the season
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