At the 2020 WCRI Annual Issues & Research Conference, Vennela Thumula with WCRI talked about their studies on opioid dispensing trends and alternatives for pain management. Between 2014 and 2018, they saw decreases in opioid prescribing in all study states. The biggest decreases were seen in California and New York which implemented new drug formularies during the study period. The highest prescribing is still seen in Louisiana and Arkansas. The average Morphine Milligram Equivalent (MME) dispensed decreased in every study state except Delaware. The biggest reduction was seen in New York. Offsetting the decrease in opioid prescriptions was an increase
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At the 2020 WCRI Annual Research & Issues Conference, Dr Bogdan Savych with WCRI discussed their study reviewing how injuries, claims and outcomes vary by age. The US population is aging. In 2000, around 13% of the population was over age 65. It is projected that by 2030 over 20% of the population will be over age 65. People are also working longer. Since 2000, the percentage of people over age 65 still working has increased by over almost a third and the percentage over age 75 still working is projected to more than double between 2000 and 2028. This
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At the 2020 WCRI Annual Research & Issues Conference, a session discussed perceptions vs reality with regard to generational differences in the workplace. The presenter was Dr Jennifer Deal, Senior Research Scientist with Center for Creative Leadership. Her study surveyed 6000 millennials along with 7000 older professional, managerial and executive staff. The different generations highlighted in the study were: Baby Boomers (1946-1963) Gen X (1964-1980) Millennials (1981-1995) Gen Z (1996-2010) Among the study findings: 69% of Millennials said the demands of work interfere with home and personal life. This compares to 61% of Gen X and 48% of Boomers. One
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Government drivers are 10% more likely to cause preventable collisions than any other set of drivers. In this session at the PARMA 46th Conference and Expo, Barbara Egan of Lytx DriveCam detailed these collision trends. Drivers are distracted. Vehicles are increasingly complex, drivers are fatigued, skills and risk acceptance vary. The three prevalent collision behaviors in government fleets are driver unbelted, late response and following distance. Lytx recorded 80% of government fleet drivers were not wearing their seatbelts, despite organizational policy. Late response results from the driver not paying attention to what is happening down the road, waiting to slam
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Risk management is assigned to different departments depending on the needs and organizational structure of each public agency. In this session at the PARMA 46th Conference and Expo, panelists discussed various organizational structures and their related pros and cons. Speakers included: Steve Robles, Assistant Chief Executive Officer for Risk Management and Privacy, County of Los Angeles Scott Mann, Risk Manager, City of Sunnyvale Tony Giles, General Manager, California Joint Powers Risk Management Authority (CJPRMA) Different types of organizations configure risk management differently. Why does it matter? It is about access to resources and decision makers, the risk manager’s level of
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There can be numerous challenges faced during the emergency phase and into the recovery phase of a disaster. At the PARMA 46th Conference and Expo, a panel of County Risk Managers discussed what worked and what failed in their disaster planning, and how a community can survive and bounce back from the unthinkable. Speakers included: Kerry John Whitney, Risk and Emergency Services, County of Napa Janell Crane, Risk Manager, County of Sonoma Julia Ogonowski, Risk Manager, County of Butte Every disaster is different. From earthquakes to wildfires, these panelists experienced disasters with multiple fatalities and significant damages to infrastructure. Their
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There have always been wildfires in California, however, their severity and frequency have become worse. This session at the PARMA 46th Conference and Expo addressed coverage, liabilities and claims handling issues related to wildfire and landslide events. Panelists included: Dennis Timoney, Chief Risk Officer, Special District Risk Management Authority Kevin Hansen, Partner, McCormick Barstow, LLP Nicholas Rasmussen, Partner, McCormick Barstow, LLP Fires affect hydrological processes. They cause chemical changes to the soil and hydrophobic (water repellent) soils are created. During a post-wild land fire rainstorm, a number of fire-related mechanisms combine to increase runoff, peak flows, erosion and debris production.
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Workers’ compensation claims are too often adversarial, leading to unnecessary litigation and increased costs. The advocacy approach to workers’ compensation claims handling focuses on enhancing the injured worker’s experience, which in turn can have a tremendous impact on the success of employers’ program results. At the PARMA 46th Conference and Expo, this live “Out Front Ideas with Kimberly and Mark” session explored the benefits of employee advocacy in workers’ compensation claims. Speakers included: Kimberly George, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development, M&A and Healthcare, Sedgwick Mark Walls, Vice President Communications & Strategic Analysis, Safety National Jeff Rush, Workers’ Compensation Program
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From budget issues to cyber and active shooter events, public entity risk managers have a lot on their plates these days. This session at the PARMA 46th Conference & Expo offered risk manager and broker perspectives to a range of recent challenges facing the public sector. Presenters included: David Nunley, Risk Manager (retired), City of Anaheim Steven Schwarz, Risk Manager, City of Fremont Zachary Gifford, Director, Systemwide Risk Management, California State University Robert Lowe, Vice President, Public Entity, Alliant Insurance Services Limits: Nuclear jury settlements are driving up the need for larger limits. Know your exposure. Do a quick risk
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Sexual misconduct claims are extremely challenging to manage. This session at the PARMA 46th Conference and Expo examined issues related to these claims, including jury challenges, risk manager involvement, theories of liability and defense strategies. Speakers included: Peter Glaessner, Founding Partner, Allen Glaessner Hazelwood & Werth LLP Steven Werth, Founding Partner, Allen, Glaessner, Hazelwood & Werth LLP Joseph Rice, Partner, Jury Research Institute Sexual misconduct cases are difficult to defend for several reasons. Jurors become emotionally engaged, become upset with the abuse of power and want to protect victims (especially children), have high expectations of schools and entities, and often
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