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Chicago, Here They Come
Workers' comp rates may be softer this year compared with 2006, but that's not a reason for managers to rest easy. In fact, it may be just the impetus for management to "return to work."
Commercial rates may be easing in workers' compensation lines in 2007, but that's exactly the time for managers to bone up on their skills so that they'll be prepared when rates begin to head back up. And there's plenty to learn, given the educational agenda planned for the 16th Annual National Workers' Comp and Disability ConferenceŽ & Expo sponsored by Risk & InsuranceŽ magazine and LRP Conferences LLC, the conference division of LRP Publications Inc.
CLAIMS MANAGEMENT What: CM1: Fool's Gold: Fighting Fraud Who: Connie A. Edwards, Assistant Vice President, Account Executive, Sedgwick CMS, Memphis, Tenn.; Dawn Watkins, Deputy Director, Los Angeles Unified School District, Risk Management and Insurance Services, Los Angeles Why: Fraud costs businesses and consumers millions of dollars each year and puts excessive strain on our economic system. This is particularly true within the workers' comp arena. However, employers can fight back. This session will examine types of fraud impacting the workers' comp system, identify potential red flags associated with fraud, and outline strategies employers can use to prevent and reduce fraud. When: Tuesday, November 6, 11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. What: CM2: An Integrated Approach to Managing Prescription Drugs in Workers' Compensation Who: Francis J. Fey, CEO/President, JI Companies, Austin, Texas; Joseph Paduda, Founder and Principal, Health Strategies Association, Madison, Conn. Why: Workers' comp drug costs have increased at double-digit rates for the last few years, and restrictive fee schedules haven't slowed the rate of increase. Effectively managing these costs requires an integrated, comprehensive approach--without adding burdens to claims adjusters. Paduda and Fey will show you the techniques and approaches developed for a TPA that resulted in significant decreases in the use of high-cost narcotics, less work for adjusters, lower claims costs and better working relationships with treating physicians. When: Tuesday, November 6, 2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. What: CM3: The Best of the Best: Representatives of Award-Winning Workers' Compensation Programs Share Their Secrets Who: Risk & InsuranceŽmagazine's Theodore Roosevelt Workers' Compensation and Disability Management Program Award Winners. Moderator: Jack Roberts, Editor-in-Chief, Risk & InsuranceŽmagazine, Horsham, Pa. Why: What do you need to make your workers' comp program deemed best in the country? Find out, as the winners of this year's highly competitive contest share their struggles and solutions with you in this interactive session. When: Tuesday, November 6, 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. What: CM4: Managing Workers' Compensation Data Reporting Who: Greg Fisher, President, StrataCare, Irvine, Calif.; Gary Ladd, Director, Corporate Workers' Compensation, Safeway, Pleasanton, Calif.; Jennifer Orosz, Manager, State Compliance and Reporting, StrataCare, Irvine, Calif. Why: State reporting of medical data in workers' compensation has become a necessary evil, and it's getting more complex each year. Additionally, more states are mandating electronic reporting of this information. Existing tools are continually being modified to allow seamless reporting to multiple jurisdictions. In this session, you'll learn the historical progression of medical data reporting and the challenges and opportunities of dealing with various state agencies while providing value added that clients expect from their vendors and/or applications. When: Wednesday, November 7, 8:45 a.m. - 10 a.m. What: CM5: FMLA, WC and ADA: How to Manage the Claims Who: Gina F. Rovello, Manager, Disability Services, AmeriHealth Casualty Services, Philadelphia; Barbara L. Young, Esquire, Partner, Schaff & Young, Philadelphia Why: Managing workers' comp and disability claims is difficult enough, but what happens when the Family and Medical Leave Act comes into play? Or the Americans with Disabilities Act? You need to understand the ramifications of these laws and how they interact with workers' comp concepts. Rovello and Young will show you how to efficiently manage claims when multiple laws come into play, and the legal implications of each. When: Wednesday, November 7, 10:45 a.m. - 12 p.m. What: CM6: Hugs and Kisses: Learning to Live With a TPA Who: Elizabeth Thomas, Vice President, Implementation Manager; Eddie Whorton, Group Director, Risk Management, Shaw Industries Inc., Dalton, Ga. Why: Companies that have expanded to the point where they can no longer self-administer their workers' comp and disability programs can find great relief once they've turned things over to a third-party administrator--that is, if they don't forget to address the corporate cultural issues that arise. Turning over work to another organization also means giving up control and doing things differently. People need to adapt to, and managers need to prepare their staffs, for changes to avoid overwhelming struggles. This session will outline the lessons learned during the honeymoon phase of working with a TPA. When: Wednesday, November 7, 3:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. What: CM7: 12 Ways to Manage Workers' Compensation Costs Who: Carl J. Mussenden, VP and Workers' Compensation Product Line Director, GAB Robins, Parsippany, N.J. Why: Preventing injuries is the most obvious way to reduce costs in your workers' compensation system, but you need the tools to reduce costs once claims arise. There are 12 steps that can help you reduce your workers' comp expenses after an injury occurs; for example, developing and maintaining alternatives to your plan of action to avoid surprises, avoiding actions that make the injured worker jump through regulatory hoops, and providing settlement offers that are realistic and supported by facts and documentation. Mussenden will teach you the 12 steps and how to apply them to lower costs. When: Thursday, November 8, 8:45 a.m. - 10 a.m. RETURN-TO-WORK/SAFETY What: RTW1: Return-to-Work Challenges: Employers Share Their Real-World Struggles and Successes Who: David Cohen, Risk Manager, Los Angeles Angels, Anaheim, Calif.; Yolanda Romero, Director of Workers' Compensation, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, Philadelphia Why: Returning injured workers to the job as soon as they're medically able may be easier said than done. Despite the overwhelming evidence that successful RTW programs save companies hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, many employers never see those results for a multitude of reasons. In this session, Cohen and Romero will share their RTW success stories. Although their perspectives may be different from yours (they're coming from a public entity and a major league baseball team), their obstacles transcend many industries. Hear their RTW success stories and get an opportunity to be an integral part of the discussion. When: Tuesday, November 6, 11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. What: RTW2: Prevention Is the Cure Who: Fay Feeney, Principal, Envision Strategic Group, Manhattan Beach, Calif. Why: Trying to reduce injuries at your workplace and save money on your workers' comp program? The key is to have a well-functioning, active safety process program. Learn how the federal government is successfully preventing injuries and reducing costs--so you can apply the same techniques in your organization. Feeney, an active member of the American Society of Safety Engineers, will show you how to implement a safety process that works and how to communicate the "safety wins" attitude with employees, management, the community and others. When: Tuesday, November 6, 2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. What: RTW3: Not All Safety Programs Are Created Equal: Building a Safety Program That Gets Results Who: Clark Bosley, Vice President, The Network, Norcross, Ga.; Ron Smith, Director, Loss Prevention, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Miami Why: A well-run safety awareness campaign can reduce workplace injuries--and costs. But getting your employees to listen and respond to the message takes some finesse. Bosley will provide specific examples of how to build an employee safety program that maximizes results. Smith will offer a case study of an effective safety awareness program. And because communication needs vary depending on an organization's culture and internal structure, you'll also hear about other effective communications strategies in several industries and disciplines. When: Tuesday, November 6, 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. What: RTW4: Workplace Violence: How to Prevent It and Respond Who: Connie A. Edwards, Assistant Vice President, Sedgwick CMS, Irvine, Calif.; Dawn Watkins, Deputy Director, Los Angeles Unified School District, Risk Management and Insurance Services, Los Angeles Why: Violence in the workplace is on the rise. It is seen in employee scuffles, threats and near misses. In extreme cases, it results in death. Employers must be prepared to respond to an ever-changing set of circumstances and deal with a host of complex issues when violence occurs. Our panelists will show you preventive measures to identify potentially dangerous situations, appropriate responses when violence does occur and how to help your company cope when tragedy strikes. When: Wednesday, November 7, 8:45 a.m. - 10 a.m. What: RTW5: Disability Management: How to Sell It Up the Food Chain Who: Dr. Jennifer Christian, President, Webility Corp., Wayland, Mass.; Richard Pimentel, Senior Partner, Milt Wright & Associates, Granada Hills, Calif. Why: The benefits of disability management are well documented and understood within workers' comp circles. Yet 80 percent of the companies that could benefit from it aren't doing it, simply because the people who could authorize it don't understand it and undertaking such an initiative requires a significant investment and commitment to achieve results. Christian and Pimentel will teach you how to get your company on the fast track of disability management by developing a solid proposal, overcoming resistance to it, bringing it to the appropriate departments and getting it funded. When: Wednesday, November 7, 10:45 a.m. - 12 p.m. What: RTW6: Case Study: How to Persuade Upper Management to Implement Your RTW Program Who: Steve Raimondi, Risk Manager, ABB, Norwalk, Conn. Why: Your company has developed a great return-to-work program. Unfortunately, upper management isn't on board and doesn't support implementation. If this sounds even vaguely familiar, you'll appreciate the story Raimondi will share. You'll hear about the depths of despair into which the RTW program sank, the changes that upper management eventually agreed to and the latest results. When: Wednesday, November 7, 3:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. INTEGRATED DISABILITY MANAGEMENT/WELLNESS What: IDM1: IDM in the Global Market Who: Pamela Caggianelli, Manager of Corporate Health, Bausch & Lomb, and Chairwoman, Certification of Disability Management Specialists Commission, Rochester, N.Y.; Renee Mattaliano, Absence Management Consultant, Zurich North America, and Chairwoman-Elect, Certification of Disability Management Specialists Commission, Schaumburg, Ill. Why: With many companies expanding globally, disability managers must understand the differences and challenges of disability management throughout the world. Caggianelli and Mattaliano will examine the different approaches to the subject, as well as the role and function of the disability management professional. They'll provide the employer and insurer perspectives through a discussion of cultural, socioeconomic, legal, educational and other issues that impact the delivery of disability management services for companies expanding abroad. When: Tuesday, November 6, 11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. What: IDM2: Measuring for Success: Using a Satisfaction Survey to Gauge the Value of Your Workers' Compensation and Disability Programs Who: Jim Curcio, Senior Consultant, National Business Group on Health, Parker, Colo.; Employers Panel Why: How effectively is your company administering its workers' comp and disability programs? The way to find out is through the satisfaction levels of your employees and/or clients. The National Business Group on Health's Employer Measures of Productivity, Absence and Quality, or EMPAQ, has a survey that will do just that. Hear from employers who have used the satisfaction survey within their organizations as an effective program administration measurement method--and learn how to use this valuable tool. When: Tuesday, November 6, 2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. What: IDM4: Do Employee Assistance Programs Keep People at Work? Who: Carol Harnett, Assistant Vice President, National Practice Leader, Group Disability and Life Practices, The Hartford, Simsbury, Conn. Why: In any given year, one in five Americans will experience a mental health issue, and at least half will experience some form of clinical depression. Harnett will discuss the prevalence of behavioral health challenges in the workplace and share results of a three-year study on the impact of employee assistance programs on disability incidence, duration and early return-to-work. The study compared companies with more than 125,000 covered employees, matched for industry and disability plan design. When: Wednesday, November 7, 8:45 a.m. - 10 a.m. What: IDM5: Disability and Digging Data for Depression Who: David Campbell, VP of Quality and Customers, ComPsych, Chicago Why: With stress and depression among the top four reasons for a disability, employers must be able to identify workers on disability who may be depressed. By digging data--meaning cross-checking pharmacy and medical information--targeted intervention can occur. Campbell will show you how to identify behavioral health cost drivers, focus on specific health conditions and co-morbidities for enhanced treatment, and structure targeted interventions to ensure employees get proper care. When: Wednesday, November 7, 10:45 a.m. - 12 p.m. What: IDM6: Ethical Considerations in Disability Management Who: Bob Hall, Director, Business Development, Presagia Corp., La Mesa, Calif.; Maria Henderson, Founder and Principal, HDM Solutions Inc., Kittredge, Colo. Why: With management's focus on cost containment, how do you ensure that your workers' comp and disability programs' designs meet the fundamental principles of ethical behavior? Ensuring compliance with governmental regulations is a good start, but is it enough? Does your organization suffer from periodic bouts of "managerial mischief"? Henderson and Hall will show you how to establish a framework for ethical decision-making in your organization and review case studies. When: Wednesday, November 7: 3:45 - 4:45 p.m. What: IDM7: The Changing Face of Disability Management Who: Pamela Caggianelli, Manager of Corporate Health, Bausch & Lomb, and Chairwoman, Certification of Disability Management Specialists Commission, Rochester, N.Y.; Renee Mattaliano, Absence Management Consultant, Zurich North America, and Chairwoman-Elect, Certification of Disability Management Specialists Commission, Schaumburg, Ill. Why: Disability management and absence management are making a distinctive shift--toward productivity management. This shift in thinking is changing employer needs, as well as the way that disability management, absence management and health/productivity programs are structured. Productivity management today is bringing together professionals from many different backgrounds. You'll learn how to take a broader view of your benefits and programs to best integrate them to bring ill/injured employees back to work, to keep those who are healthy at work, and to maintain and promote productivity in the workplace. When: Thursday, November 8, 8:45 a.m. - 10 a.m. Legal/Regulatory Issues\ What: LR1: Settling the Catastrophic Workers' Compensation Claim Who: Jim Ebel, President, Selective Settlements International, Naperville, Ill.; Jodie L. Massingill, Associate Director, John L. Wortham and Son LP, Houston; James E. Pocius, Shareholder, Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin, Scranton, Pa. Why: Even though only a fraction of workers' comp claims involve catastrophic injuries, when they occur, they are the most complicated and the most expensive. But there are steps you can take along the way to reduce your costs. A claims consultant, structured settlement expert and an attorney will walk you through a fictional claim and show you how to determine whether a Medicare set-aside is needed, how a structured settlement works, where you can save money ... and settle the case. When: Tuesday, November 6, 11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. What: LR2: Using Pharmacy and ER Records to Help Defend Workers' Compensation Claims Who: Niki Ingram, Shareholder, Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin, Philadelphia Why: Defending against workers' compensation claims takes all the ammunition you can muster. Two often overlooked sources of vital information are the records from pharmacies and emergency rooms. But you need to know how and where to look. Ingram will show you how to go about uncovering records to find information you never expected. When: Tuesday, November 6, 2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. What: LR4: Illegal Aliens and Workers' Compensation: What Should You Do? Who: Rusty Watts, Partner, Swift Currie, Atlanta Why: As if the workers' compensation field isn't complex enough, now comes the added complication of undocumented workers injured on the job. Increasingly, states are adopting statutes to address this issue, but the laws often vary. Mr. Watts will outline the challenges and offer practical advice to protect your company and keep you out of legal hot water. When: Wednesday, November 7, 8:45 a.m. - 10 a.m. What: LR5: 60 Tips in 60 Minutes Who: Steven Borgstrom, President, Employer's Claim Services Inc., Libertyville, Ill.; Albert Mitsos, M.D., Physician Consultant, Long Grove, Ill.; Matthew B. Schiff, Partner, Schiff & Hulbert, Chicago; Ed Steffan, EPS Rehabilitation Expert, Tinley Park, Ill.; James W. Hulbert, Partner, Schiff & Hulbert, Chicago (Moderator) Why: In 60 minutes, experts representing nearly every discipline involved in the workers' comp process will give you 60 practical ideas to get your workers' comp program running like a well-oiled machine that also saves money. You'll get a plethora of quick tips to apply from the moment an injury occurs to the final outcome. Using the popular round-robin format, each panelist has 60 seconds to offer up their best practical advice. When: Wednesday, November 7, 10:45 a.m. - 12 p.m. What: LR6: Medicare and Workers' Compensation: Where Are We Now? Who: James E. Pocius, Shareholder, Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin, Scranton, Pa. Why: Medicare is like a gnat in the workers' comp system. It seemed to come out of nowhere and won't go away, despite everyone's best efforts. You need to understand when and how to develop a Medicare set-aside amid constantly changing parameters. Pocius will outline the very latest government guidance and what you can do to stay ahead of the curve. When: Wednesday, November 7, 3:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. October 15, 2007 Copyright 2007© LRP Publications |
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