A startling fact was revealed this morning at the National Prescription Drug Abuse Summit in Orlando, FL. Last year, 38,000 people died in this country from prescription drug abuse. That is more than died in workplace and auto accidents combined. The discussion here is clinical, and by nature somewhat detached from the devastation caused by…
Fake Penis Definitely Fails the (Drug) Test
About a decade ago we ran a story about a product called the Whizzinator, which is designed to help people cheat drug tests. This product is a fake penis that dispenses clean urine. The process involves mixing dehydrated “clean urine” with water that is stored with the device. The body heat of the person wearing…
Training is Only Useful If It Doesn't Suck
A story that ran in our CompNewsNetwork area earlier this week really demonstrated that training in and of itself is not the only element needed to produce a safe and healthy work environment. The training needs to maintain a certain quality, and cannot itself be based on careless, haphazard standards. It turns out training should…
A Super Secret Workers' Compensation Conference in Dick Cheney's Basement
Today, 45 workers' comp superstars from all over the nation are gathering at a super secret, highly secure location. Sort of a Trilateral Commission for workplace injury, they will analyze, review, and solve all of the issues facing workers' comp. Well, actually, tonight they are just having dinner and drinking, but tomorrow; tomorrow they will…
Second Thoughts on Second Opinions in the People's Republic of North Dakota
Trouble is brewing again in the PRND. This time, however, the controversy is tied to the use of Independent Medical Exams, or IME’s, by that states monopolistic carrier, Workforce Safety & Insurance. On some levels the debate sounds like what we hear elsewhere in the country. Those on the side of the Injured Worker claim…
Meet Joe Negron – Potential Roadblock to Florida Repackaged Prescription Reform
Wednesday the Florida Senate Banking and Insurance Committee approved SB 662, a bill designed to cap the exorbitant prices currently charged by drug repackagers and their dispensing physician allies. It passed 10 to 1, with only Senator Joe Negron voting against. It now moves to the Health Policy Committee. Assuming it clears the Health Policy…
Update: Florida House and Senate Panels Move Repackaged Drug Price Caps Forward
Update: 5:28PM, 3/20/13 – The Florida Senate Banking and Insurance committee passed SB 662, the companion bill to HB 0605. It passed 10 to 1, with only Senator Negron voting against. It now moves to the Health Policy Committee. Original Article: Hooray for the Florida House, or at least the House Health Quality Subcommittee of the…
Workers' Comp Industry Social Media Survey Project – Phase II Released
Today we are launching the second of two surveys exploring the access and use of social media within the workers' compensation industry. We ask all workers' compensation professionals to take a few minutes to complete this questionnaire. This survey is an in depth analysis created in part from the results of the brief initial survey…
Kicking the Office Bully Down the Stairs
A recent article in Insurance Journal tells us that “Workplace Bullying” may be the next great frontier of employer liability challenges in our country, and they may be right. Numerous states are considering legislation that would allow employees to sue for damages from an abusive workplace environment, including lost wages, benefits and medical expenses. It…
The Dark Side of Shark Wrestling Under Stress
Today we tell a tale that, at the outset, seems so pedestrian, so mundane, that it hardly even bears mentioning. It is a story of a man who physically grabbed a shark in the water off an Australian beach, dragged it away from nearby children, and lost his job in the UK as a result.…