Risks to an increasingly modernized, technological and integrated society have greatly increased our threat of events with catastrophic consequences. Frequency and scale of these events as well as natural disasters are increasing along with the econo…

In early 2013, Sedgwick advised clients of the top trends expected to impact employers this year from the Affordable Care Act: a change in the healthcare delivery model – to economic and market forces: how they will drive employer actions. Looking…

On December 16, 2013, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled 7 to 1 that Senate Bill 1062, which was signed by Governor Mary Fallin on May 6, 2013, "is not unconstitutional as a multiple subject bill." The high court in the case, Coates et al vs. Fallin, N…

Having recently returned from the National Workers' Compensation and Disability Conference in Las Vegas, I am impressed to reflect on how the 2013 recipients of the Teddy Awards are just the latest crop of companies and their risk and benefit leaders…

Oklahoma passed a workers' compensation reform bill on April 30, 2013 – Senate Bill 1062 overhauls the entire Oklahoma workers' compensation system. The bill consists of three different parts: 1.  The Administrative Workers' Compensation Act …

The impact to a family when a loved one sustains a catastrophic injury is life changing, not just for the patient, but the entire family. When I learned about Kids’ Chance of America my heart was warmed to know there was a charity focused on educatio…

Long before this summer when health plan cancellation notices began arriving in plan member mailboxes, health insurers were creating alternative plan options for their consumers. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), signed into law…

Employers face multiple pressures when considering ways to advocate and care for injured workers and manage costs in complex state workers' compensation systems. One of the keys to balancing these needs is to take advantage of all available resources…

It has been stated repeatedly that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) with its 900+ pages is the single most controversial law passed by Congress in the last 10 years. Since the ACA was signed into law in March 2010, the industry has been buzzing about th…

The demographics of our population and workforce are changing. This change deserves our attention in terms of thinking about how as an industry we can better serve our customers. With an aging workforce, we now have four generations of workers contri…

In any given week, a health care risk manager can find themselves involved in something new – investigating a patient injury, preparing a statement for a liability claim, educating staff on safety, assisting in designing risk transfer or financing …

We can agree that much has changed about the world of workers' compensation, yet the question of effect remains open. On one hand, many employers have substantially improved their "results" in this realm, particularly over the last five to ten years.…

In my last blog, I discussed the value of a mature workforce. Are you interested in developing a plan to keep your aging workforce engaged, productive and injury-free? As you begin working on a plan, some key facts about how age should be considered:…

The opportunity to channel care in Illinois through the use of a preferred provider program (PPP) is ready for implementation. This legislation was enacted as one of many efforts to allow for better direction of care and care delivery for employers a…

Sedgwick is an active member of the American Association of Independent Claims Professionals (AAICP), the leading organization representing the national advocacy interests of independent claims professionals. AAICP is working with Rep. Stephen Finche…