Consider the implications to your organization of possible changes in access to care, consolidation of providers and facilities and the use of accountable care organizations. All this is rapidly becoming a reality under the changes to our healthcare system brought on by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). How will this impact your business? What steps can you take to ensure your injured workers have access to the best care? What issues are on the horizon?  This was the subject of a 2015 SIIA Workers Compensation Executive Forum session presented by  Kimberly George, Senior Vice President, Senior Healthcare Advisor with Sedgwick. Putting politics
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Leading Self-Insured Groups (SIGs) are finally embracing “BIG DATA” trends and initiatives are underway to focus the power of machine learning on the claims and underwriting operations of SIGs. Advanced analytics and predictive modeling are helping SIGs improve loss ratios, enhance dividends and improve their market position. This was the subject of a 2015 SIIA Workers’ Compensation Executive Forum session. The speakers for this session were: Freda Bacon, Fund Administrator, Alabama Self Insured Workers’ Compensation Fund Steven J. Link, Executive Vice President, Midwest Employers Casualty Company Stan Smith, Predictive Analytics Consultant, Milliman, Inc. Stu Thompson, CEO, The Builders Group. Underwriting
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On May 14-15, Conference Chronicles will be blogging from one of the biggest industy events of the year.  The NCCI Annual Issues Symposium. In addition to providing extensive research about the state of the workers’ compensation marketplace, the NCCI conference is the leading networking event for workers’ compensation carriers and their reinsurers.   For more information abou the event, please see the link: https://www.ncci.com/nccimain/Events/NCCIEvents/Pages/AIS2015-Registration.aspx

On May 12-13, 2015, Conference Chronicles will be reporting from sessions at SIIA’s Annual Self-Insured Workers’ Compensation Executive Forum.  This is the country’s premier association sponsored conference dedicated exclusively to self-insured Workers’ Compensation.  For more information on the event please click the link below: https://www.siia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=6827

Legalized marijuana is a key employment and risk management issue. Debate continues to heat up on this issue as more states move toward legalization. This RIMS 2015 session provided updates on the process as it relates to the workplace. Speakers included: Markie Davis, Risk Manager, State of Colorado Kevin Glennon, Vice President – Home Health & Complex Care, One Call Care Management With marijuana, the THC component gives you the high, but there are other properties of the plant that can have good medicinal properties when the THC component is removed. There are few studies available because it is still
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Few people likely understand the potential liability exposure that flows from public statements made on social media outlets such as blogs, Twitter accounts and Facebook pages. This RIMS 2015 session explored the potential liability exposure that organizations face by using social media and the insurance available to protect against these risks. Speakers included: Renee Crow, Vice President, Risk Management, Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, LLC Darren Teshima, Partner, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP  Risks of Social Media Although, there are many rewards that can result from social media, considerable risks exist. Is your organization creating risk without even knowing it?
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This innovative RIMS 2015 session explored a new era of technology emerging in heathcare – personalized medicine. It is expected to revolutionize healthcare and, thus, will become very useful in the workers’ compensation arena. Speakers included: Geralyn Datz, President, Southern Behavioral Medicine Associates PLLC Sonny Roshan, CEO, Chairman, Aeon Laboratories, LLC Kimberly George, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development, M&A, Healthcare, Sedgwick How it Works Using a simple, in-office test, genetic testing determines how a patient’s genetic makeup will determine a successful or unsuccessful response to a prescribed medication. Pharmacogenetic testing (PGX) taps into DNA to uncover how a single prescribed
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This RIMS 2015 panel, consisting of risk managers that represent some of the largest supermarket chains in the United States, addressed the latest and largest risk management issues facing the supermarket industry. Speakers included: Max Koonce, VP, Risk Management, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Lizabeth Christman, Vice President, Risk Management, Ahold USA, Inc. Dorina Hertner, Director, Corp. Insurance & Risk Management, 7-Eleven, Inc. William Zachry, Vice President Risk Management, Safeway Inc. Mark Walls, Vice President Communications & Strategic Analysis, Safety National (moderator) CRISIS MANAGEMENT Most of you are dealing with the unrest in Baltimore. How do you deal with crisis communications and
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This RIMS 2015 panel gathered senior executives from insurance carriers to discuss what they believe are the emerging issues in the insurance marketplace. Speakers Included: Daniel Riordan, Chief Executive Officer, Zurich Global Corporate, North America John Doyle, Chief Executive Officer, Commercial Insurance, AIG John Lupica, Chairman – Insurance, North America, ACE Group Thomas Lawson, President, FM Global Roger Andrews, Director, Risk Management, E.D. Bullard Company Do you agree with the opinion of the broker executive panel that the cyclical nature of the market might be a thing of the past? I don’t view the P&C market as just one market
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This RIMS 2015 panel gathered senior industry executives from brokerage firms to discuss what they believe are the real game changers in the insurance marketplace. Speakers Included: David Batchelor, President, International Division, Marsh LLC Steve McGill, Group President, Aon PLC J. Patrick Gallagher, Chairman, President & CEO, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Dominic Casserley, Chief Executive Officer, Willis Group Roger Andrews, Director, Risk Management, E.D. Bullard Company What keeps you up at night? The technology revolution. How do we capitalize on this speed and richness of data in our own businesses? Making sure that our client services remain at the
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