THESE are what will drive work comp's future
and no it isn't "litigation abuse" or "mental health's growing cost".
First, big praise to WCRI for focusing this year’s annual research conference on topics very relevant to work comp that aren’t covered anywhere else.
If you haven’t figured it out by now, work comp is the flea on the tail of the elephant that is the other 99.26% of US healthcare spend.
So…Medicare, Medicaid, the ACA and employer-funded insurance drives healthcare. Work comp is the unwilling passenger unable to do anything but desperately hang on as the elephants smash thru the landscape.
You’re either a healthcare elephant or you’re the mush between their toes.
Example - Keynote focusing on how the changes to the ACA, premium credits, and huge cuts to Medicaid will affect employers healthcare costs and access to care for injured workers. Here’s my take on Medicaid)
How this critical issue has escaped other conference planners is beyond me…
But wait…there’s MORE!
Hundreds of hospitals are at imminent risk of closure, and hundreds more are shutting down ERs, ICUs, surgery suites, and other critical operations. The esteemed Bogdan Savych PhD will dive into the implications for workers’ comp - which are NOT good.
The morning concludes with a panel addressing the key issue - how these momentous changes will impact workers’ comp.
Don’t be late getting back from lunch…Sebastian Negrusa PhD will discuss his research, and we will gain critical insights into how millions losing their health insurance will affect work comp. This is the first useful research I’ve heard of that will give insight into the downstream effects of the coming healthcare crisis will drive work comp.
My bet - higher costs and longer disability durations.
An employer panel featuring Justin Romine of Marriott and colleagues from Disney, Publix (great work on physician dispensing!), Aramark and United Airlines follows.
What does this mean for you?
If you want to be ready for what’s coming, you gotta be at WCRI’s meeting.