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As policymakers and system stakeholders in many states debate rising medical costs, the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) released a new study today that helps monitor changes in prices paid for medical professional services as well as the impact of fee schedule and network changes on price trends. The study, WCRI Medical Price Index for Workers' Compensation, 10th Edition (MPI-WC),…

Section 12 of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act is commonly referred to as an IME (Independent Medical Examination) and it is a key resource available to claims professionals who must make sensitive determinations regarding the current medical condition of an injured worker. In an IME a qualified medical practitioner who has not previously treated the worker, reviews the medical records…

Indiana's workers' compensation board has released new application forms and guidelines for self-insurers, and the agency is urging employers to make sure they complete the form in full. "All of the attachments and additional information requested in item 7 must be provided," the board said in a bulletin. "Incomplete applications cannot be processed and will not be approved." Item 7…

Workers’ compensation rates are falling across the US, a long-running trend that has finally caught up with California, the nation’s largest market, while deepening in others, such as New York. In California, where carriers set their own rates, State Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has called for a rate rollback based on a cost benchmark of $1.74 per $100 of payroll…

A chiropractor is suing Universal Health Institute Ltd., a former employer, citing alleged breach of contract, violation of workers compensation acts, unpaid wages and violation of the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act. Raymond S. Manasia filed a complaint May 30 in Cook County Circuit Court accusing the defendant of underpaying his salary and failing to pay agreed bonuses. The…

The Illinois General Assembly has passed a bill that requires the pre-approval of workers’ compensation insurance rates by the Illinois Department of Insurance. The legislation also “permits sensible corporate restructuring for insurers and reinsurers,” according to the American Insurance Association. But, according to AIA’s Steve Schneider, vice president for state affairs, Midwest region, the group is “disappointed that policymakers have…

Workers' compensation costs in Illinois have grown every year since reforms efforts in 2011. A study of workers' compensation claims through March 2017 by the nonprofit Workers Compensation Research Institute found the state’s average cost to businesses rose by 1 to 3 percent annually since 2011. The study found medical payments, protections against loss (called indemnity), and administrative costs have…

Beginning July 2, all parties in workers' compensation claims cases will receive notice through electronic means, so the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission needs updated email addresses, the commission announced this week. The commission will no longer send notices via mail after July 2. It's part of a modernization effort by the commission to streamline operations and close down massive warehouses that…