|
|||
|
|
|
Searching for Relief
Workers' comp managers look to industry leaders for answers at the 21st National Workers' Compensation and Disability ConferenceŽ & Expo, Nov. 7-9 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Editor's note: A hard market, rising medical drug spending, skyrocketing usage of prescription drugs, and stagnant insured values have workers' comp managers looking for answers. Here is a snapshot of some of the sessions that will be featured at the conference at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
What to expect: High-dollar workers' comp claims generate complex and contentious issues. But by getting key stakeholders together you can fend off many hurdles. That's the idea behind a concept developed by William Zachry and Barry Bloom, which is being utilized in high-risk claims. Dubbed "The Double Play," it brings claims, legal and medical stakeholders together in a roundtable triage to discuss the issues and develop solutions. Stakeholders won't want to miss the chance to learn about this hands-on tool to identify, select, develop and manage your team to resolve high-exposure cases. Who: Barry Bloom, consultant, The Bdb Group, San Carlos, Calif.; Suzanne Guyan, director of product development, CompPartners Inc., Calif.; and William Zachry, vice president of risk management, Safeway, Pleasanton, Calif. When: Thursday, Nov. 8, 8:45 - 10:00 a.m. Session: The Role of Pharmacy Benefit Managers in the War on Opioids What to expect: Pharmacy benefit managers are the first line of defense in the war on opioids for most employers, insurers and third-party administrators. Pharmacy benefit managers can have a significant impact on prescribing patterns, thereby controlling the overprescribing of Schedule II narcotics. This panel will provide insight into the strategies they employ and show you how to work with your own pharmacy benefit manager for the best outcomes for injured workers, your employer and the bottom line. Who: John F. Aforismo, CEO/founder, RJ Health Systems, Hartford, Conn.; Tim Pokorney, clinical director, Express Scripts, Phoenix; Phil Walls, clinical director, myMatrixx, Tampa, Fla.; moderator: Mark Walls, vice president of claims, Safety National, St. Louis When: Thursday, Nov. 8, 8:45 - 10:00 a.m. Session: After the Deal: Adjusting to Consolidation of TPAs or Insurers What to expect: The consolidation of insurers and third-party administrators can be a nightmare for risk managers at client companies. How does the merger or acquisition affect your pending claims? What should you look for from the old or new company when managing the claims? How can you work through the claims process seamlessly? Who: Julia Sfurm, corporate risk operations manager, Elkay Manufacturing Co., Oak Brook, Ill. When: Thursday, Nov. 8, 1:15 - 2:30 p.m. Session: Opioid Treatment Guidelines: Getting Physicians On Board What to expect: Why aren't workers' comp physicians doing a better job of getting patients off opioids? Studies show low compliance by physicians, even after guidelines have been put in place. Many are uncomfortable with drug testing, the use of contracts and other measures designed to prevent opioid abuse. Find out what you need to know to encourage your physicians to follow better treatment standards, while still maintaining care for their patients. Who: Dr. Kathryn Mueller, professor, Department of Emergency Medicine and School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; and medical director, Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation, Denver When: Thursday, Nov. 8, 1:15 - 2:30 p.m. Session: Why and When Back Surgery Isn't the Best Option What you can expect: Money's tight. Why spend it on surgeries known to produce bad outcomes? Yet that's what many employers are doing when they pay for lumbar fusions for low back pain. Despite a significant increase in this treatment for injured workers in the last decade, there is little evidence to support improvement in many cases. While certain conditions have predictable outcomes, others do not. Patient selection is key. Dr. Eskay-Auerbach shows you what to look for when surgery is recommended, how to identify patients most or least likely to benefit, and what alternative treatment options are available. Who: Dr. Marjorie Eskay-Auerbach, president/owner, SpineCare & Forensic Medicine, Tucson, Ariz. When: Thursday, Nov. 8, 3:00 - 4:15 p.m. Session: Think Tank on Medical Management What to expect: Strategies to prevent disability and control rising medical costs in the workers' comp system run the gamut -- from treatment standards and guidelines to early involvement of nurse case managers and innovative models of health-care delivery. You'll have a chance to hash out issues and ideas with other seasoned professionals in a collaborative environment. Attendees drive the topics, while the facilitator will help analyze critical problems, debunk some long-time ineffective approaches and develop solutions to help you move forward. Who: Facilitator: Dr. Gary Franklin, medical director, Washington Department of Labor and Industries, Seattle When: Thursday, Nov. 8, 3:00 - 4:15 p.m. Session: Mitigating Damage of Opioid Abuse: Employer Perspectives What to expect: While we're just beginning to understand the financial and medical effects of opioid use in the workers' comp system, employers are starting to see unexpected impacts. Productivity and safety are suffering dramatically. You'll hear the perspectives and the solutions of several employers that are finding ways to mitigate the damage caused by opioid use among workers. Who: Sean McDaniel, director of claims management, Veolla Environmental Services, Lombard, Ill.; Ron Thackery, vice president of safety and risk management, Emergency Medical Services Corp., Greenwood Village, Colo.; moderator: Dr. Teresa Bartlett, senior vice president and medical director, Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc., Troy, Mich. When: Thursday, Nov. 8, 3:00 - 4:15 p.m. Session: The New Mobile Workforce: Solutions to Unique Workers' Comp Challenges What to expect: The mobile workforce raises all sorts of questions. Should an injury that occurs in a home office be covered by workers' comp when the employer has little or no control over the surroundings? Does the Going and Coming Rule apply to home-based employees traveling to see a customer? What about driving-related injuries that occur when an employee is texting in violation of state law -- should that be covered? Who: Alan S. Pierce, Pierce, Pierce & Napolitano, Salem, Mass.; Roger A. Levy, of counsel, Laughlin, Falbo, Levy & Moresi LLP, and Levy Mediations, San Francisco; moderator: Stuart Colburn, Downs Stanford PC, Austin, Texas When: Friday, Nov. 9, 9:00 - 10:15 a.m. Session: The Insurer's View: Developing a Narcotics Management Program What to expect: Between 55 percent and 85 percent of injured workers receive narcotics for chronic pain relief. The financial and human costs can be astronomical. Insurers and employers need strategies to deal with this epidemic. A narcotics management program need not be an elaborate scheme. It's a matter of having some practical tools, understanding there is no cookie-cutter approach and taking that first step. The speakers will present a narcotics management program developed through years of monitoring opioid use, and will provide you with a mechanism to get these injured workers back to work sooner. Who: Paul Kauffman, director of medical programs, Accident Fund Insurance Co. of America, Lansing, Mich.; Mark Pew, senior vice president, PRIUM, Duluth, Ga.; Jeffery White, director of medical management strategy, Accident Fund Holdings, Lansing, Mich. When: Friday, Nov. 9, 9:00 - 10:15 a.m. Session: Considering Opt-Out: Lessons Learned From Two Employers What to expect: The opt-out system in the state of Texas may be catching on elsewhere. Pervasive discontent with the workers' comp system is leading some stakeholders to consider whether other states should allow employers to exit their states' systems, as exemplified by the proposed legislation in Oklahoma. What are the benefits to the companies and the injured workers? What, if anything, are the drawbacks? You'll hear from two employers that have opted to withdraw from the Texas workers' comp system, plus see the unveiling of new research on the opinions of employers nationwide. Who: Becky Robinson, assistant vice president, Hobby Lobby, Oklahoma City, Okla.; Rick Sumner, director of insurance & safety, Dollar General, Goodlettsville, Tenn.; moderator: Jack Roberts, managing principal, New Street Group, Philadelphia When: Friday, Nov. 9, 10:45 a.m. - 12 p.m. Session: Opioids, Return-to-Work and the ADA What to expect: Employers face a conundrum in balancing the need for safety and productivity in the workplace with the legal rights of injured workers who are prescribed opioids. Refusing to allow such a worker to participate in a transitional employment program could be a clear-cut violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act. When is it appropriate to prohibit a worker on opioids from working? How can employers test for opioids? Can employers prevent workers from even bringing opioids into the workplace? Who: Richard Pimentel, senior partner, Milt Wright & Associates, Granada Hills, Calif. When: Friday, Nov. 9, 10:45 a.m. - 12 p.m. Compiled by CYRIL TUOHY, managing editor of Risk & InsuranceŽ. October 11, 2012 Copyright 2012© LRP Publications |
|
|
|
Entire contents copyright © 2013 Risk and Insurance® All rights reserved.
May not be reproduced in any form without written permission.
|