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The battle over reimbursements to physicians who distribute repackaged drugs to injured workers in Florida may be over, finally.

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word "ergonomics"? Chances are many employers faced with that question would say something about keyboards, chairs, or workstations.

Health care professionals could make a significant impact on keeping aging baby boomers at work, suggests a new report. By changing the focus of the medical community, physicians could help older workers who are injured return to their workplaces and improve their health in the process.

One way to contain spiraling medical costs in the workers' comp system is through the use of fee schedules, right? Maybe, say officials with a third-party administrator who will speak at the National Workers' Compensation and Disability ConferenceŽ & Expo.

Some of the hottest issues affecting workers' comp/disability practitioners are the focus of this year's sessions.

Businesses lose millions of dollars each year from motor vehicle accidents. However, many employers are unaware of the actual toll motor vehicle crashes take on their businesses.

A sink-making plumbing facility used to have 60 lost time claims every year -- all of them litigated. But the second year after its risk management team implemented a new program, the facility had no lost time claims for nearly a year.

New tracks, interactive risk scenarios, and a special 60 tips general session highlight the 2013 conference.

Addressing the opioid crisis in the workers' comp system requires a global approach, pain management experts say. Increasingly, industry practitioners are realizing that an interdisciplinary pain management and prevention team offers the best chance for optimal outcomes.

Better use of employee assistance programs might help boost the bottom line. That's one of the best practices cited to curb workplace absences.

Bill Zachry has seen a side of the workers' comp system few in the industry have.

Mandatory utilization review, the lack of fee schedules, and major legislative reforms are having major ramifications for medical costs in the workers' comp system.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act. New research shows the FMLA can ultimately help companies reduce their disability costs and improve the bottom line.

An enhanced focus on disability management, a special evening reception and awards presentation, and a new venue are among the changes coming to this year's conference. Two industry veterans are at the programming helm.

"With the Supreme Court ruling to uphold the Affordable Care Act and the president's re-election, employers have never had a better opportunity to re-examine their long term role in providing healthcare coverage," noted PricewaterhouseCoopers' Health Research Institute in its 2013 annual report on the top health industry issues. "The year 2013 will likely be the turning point for the evolution of healthcare benefits over the next decade."