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Comp impact of AMA updates on mental injuries 'uncertain': NCCI

The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) analyzed several changes made in 2021 to the American Medical Association's guide on disability ratings, the first update since 2008, and found "the only significant content and methodology changes were for mental and behavioral disorders," which affect workers compensation claims. Its analysis concludes the effect will be uncertain when it comes to diagnosing and determining disability.



Comp outlook good with some areas of concern

The workers compensation market will likely experience its eighth year of profitability, although rate decreases will likely slow. Issues that could affect the future of comp, according to a report released by Chicago-based Risk Placement Services Inc. include work-from-home arrangements, high hazard industries' mega claims, and worker shortages.



Report on fraud in workers comp

The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud reported there's about $34 billion in workers compensation fraud each year, with bogus claims accounting for about $9 billion and premium fraud accounting for $25 billion. Underreporting payroll is the most common scheme of premium fraud, followed by intentionally misrepresenting the nature of an employee's work. Some examples of claimant fraud include filing a claim for a nonwork injury or a fake injury, exaggerating the effects of an injury, denying previous injuries, and working while collecting comp benefits.



Expensive topical medications utilization increasing

The number of injured workers using topical medications rose 4.7% in 2021, according to a report released by Enlyte Group LLC subsidiary Mitchell International Inc. While the number of injured workers using opioids has continued to decline, from 33.3% of all injured workers in 2020 to 30.3% in 2021, topicals, or creams used mostly for pain, are on the rise, with 114 out of every 1,000 injured workers being prescribed such medications. The high costs of such medications, averaging $2,100 per script, are cause for concern. Topicals made up 12.3% of costs in comp, according to the report.



Employers need to talk about suicide

A new report by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and United Suicide Survivors International showed that employers don't want to talk about suicide, although the workplace may be the best place to reach middle-aged men, the demographic most at risk. The report notes that few companies provide education to prevent suicide, identifies why businesses avoid talking about suicide, and how organizations can develop comprehensive and sustained strategies for mental health promotion and suicide prevention.



U.S. Chemical Safety Board issues guidance clarifying the accidental release reporting rule

On September 1, 2022, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) released a new guidance document about the agency's Accidental Release Reporting Rule. The rule, which went into effect in March 2020, requires owners and operators of stationary sources to report accidental releases that result in a fatality, a serious injury, or substantial property damage to the CSB within eight hours.



JAMA issues alert on misuse of gabapentin

JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, recently issued an alert on the misuse of gabapentin. It is noteworthy in the medical management of workers compensation claims as many injured employees are prescribed gabapentin, pregabalin, and their branded alternatives (such as Neurontin or Lyrica) in combination with opioids, benzodiazepines, sedative hypnotics, and anti-psychotic agents to manage pain.



Study: perceived unfairness among low-income injured workers in claims process

Understanding how workers in low-income employment react to work injury and claims processes they see as unfair can help employers, legal representatives, physicians and others respond appropriately, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. The study identified a flowchart of reactions and emotions that occur as an employee is going through the worker compensation system, including confusion, anger, unsupported, disappointment, and determination. The findings of this study can help workers compensation systems communicate more effectively with injured workers about their needs during the claim process.



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