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The Illinois General Assembly at the end of May 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…

A National Safety Council survey found 90% of America's employers have been negatively impacted by tired employees, with half saying they've had an employee fall asleep on the job. Fifty-seven percent of employers have experienced absenteeism, and another 32% report injuries and near-misses due to fatigued employees, according to the survey released June 13. Fatigue not only hurts employees' wellbeing…

The Illinois Appellate Court ruled a defunct insurer that provided workers compensation insurance in California cannot use emergency funds set aside for claims to cover unpaid administrative costs such as rent, utilities and other bills, the California Department of Insurance announced Tuesday. The court issued its decision in In re Liquidation of Lumbermens Mutual Casualty Co. in support of California…

Fireworks season is near and soon loud booms and bright colors will fill the sky. Before you spend your family fortune on fireworks for the summer, here are some things you need to know about using fireworks in Indiana: Indiana fireworks laws Indiana has four main laws regarding consumer use of fireworks: Must be 18 or older to purchase fireworks.…

Prices paid for medical professional services vary significantly across states, ranging from 26 percent below the median in Florida to 158 percent above median in Wisconsin, according to a 35-state study. States with no fee schedules for professional services had higher prices paid compared with states with fee schedules—39 to 168 percent higher than the median of the study states…

Over the past several years, there has been extensive coverage on the staggering destruction of the opioid crisis. Individuals, families and communities across all demographics are impacted by this epidemic. While much of the coverage has rightly been focused on the human cost, the opioid crisis and other forms of substance abuse, also have a tremendous impact on small businesses…

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…