Workers’ Compensation Reform achieved a huge victory earlier this summer with the signing into law of HB 1320, an act that the American Insurance Association feels ‘addresses problems which have been steadily mounting in Indiana for years.’

Indiana Governor Mike Pence penned the legislation which, effective of July 1, ensures a fee schedule with a maximum reimbursement rate of 200% of the Medicare rate for treatments and procedures to workers’ compensation claimants by medical service providers. While those are the provisions of the new legislation in a nutshell, there are plenty of other considerations Businesses need to be aware of, particularly considering the imminent arrival of Health Care Reform.

What Exactly Is Workers Compensation?

Many companies realize their most important asset is their brand. A brand influences the perceptions of clients, potential clients, partners, staff, the media and, of course, the general public. So managing and maintaining that image can be considered one of the most important elements of a business process.

Around 3.3 million people are injured at work each year in America. In many cases they spend days, weeks, or even months out of work as a result of those injuries. Some never return to work. Because of this, it’s critical to develop a culture that believes all accidents are predictable, preventable, and unacceptable.

Where Do We Start?

The IOM (Institute of Medicine) defines patient centered care as: "Providing care that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs and values, and ensuring that patient values guide all clinical decisions."

In today’s world there is so much emphasis on doing more with less. This obviously has its perks, but it also has a significant negative impact that cannot be overlooked. Employees who are pushed to the max are at risk of being overstressed and ultimately burning out. Burnout reduces productivity and takes a toll on individual’s health.

At the recent American Society of Safety Engineers’ conference there was a chilling message for businesses that employ temporary staff. David Michaels, OSHA’s Assistant Secretary of Labor, raised the issue of workplace fatalities and pointed the finger of blame. He said, “temporary workers are at greater risk of workplace injury and illness than non-temps.” A major factor is a “lack of job information and safety training for temps increasingly employed in dangerous occupations.”

This ‘lack of information and safety training’ contributed to a figure of 14 fatalities of temporary workers on their first day on the job over the past 12 months. That’s a scary figure for employers and temps alike. How does this happen?

Many employees drive company cars for their work-related duties. But what if the company car were your only car? Even as an employee of the company, it’s likely you are not listed on the company’s business auto policy.

So what happens when you borrow your neighbor’s car to run some errands on the weekend? This type of situation can leave you with serious gaps in coverage. Under a business auto policy, individuals using a borrowed auto for personal use are not covered, even if the policy covers hired or borrowed autos. The individual must be listed as an insured on the company’s business auto policy to have coverage.

Any owner of an antique or collector car knows the risk involved with simply taking your car out for a drive. Whether you’re hitting the road for fun or headed to an auto show, carrying these items with you wherever you go ensures a breakdown won’t keep you down.

Digital Power Station

Preventing disease is important to leading a healthy life. Detecting disease early is a key component to disease management and recovery. As Ben Franklin said “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.

Achieving this “pound of cure” will be easier now than ever before with the new provision

Risk management isn’t limited to operations, finance, or within manufacturing facilities; there are risks to be aware of within physical office buildings and for office workers.

Tripping Hazards