- Vermont announces 7.9% comp rate cut
- Safety National adds large guaranteed-cost comp coverage
- Big Pharma’s opioid push began in ’90s
The cause of the current opioid crisis has roots not only in the pharmaceuticals industry of the 1990s, which marketed strong painkillers as a safe and effective way to manage pain, but also in doctors’ offices.
- Medical marijuana comp payments rolling in
Medical marijuana has been paid for under workers compensation claims in six states, and experts say the push will continue despite a dearth of medical evidence supporting cannabis as an effective pain treatment and strong opposition from the insurance industry.
- Gig economy traveling faster than comp insurers can keep up
The rise of the on-demand or “gig” economy creates new safety challenges for workers in the growing employment sector.
- Opioids create dilemma for doctors, insurers
The steady march away from opioid prescribing in workers compensation will continue into 2017, according to industry experts who call this ongoing shift in treating pain for injured workers a necessary, but complicated journey for all parties involved.