State of the Workers’ Comp Industry
The final panel I moderated was the State of the WC Industry Panel. The panelists were Gordon Clemons from Corvel, Al Hammermiller from UPS, Scott Hudson from Gallagher Bassett, and Jim Wucherpfenning from Travelers. Among the issues discussed included:
• How does CA compare to other states: The overall consensus was higher costs and a very administratively complex system. Panelists discussed the fact that higher adjuster turnover was a challenge also.
• ACA and potential impact in WC: Panelists felt that access to care, especially specialists could be a significant issue
• Impact to industry around pharmacy management: Panelists felt this was a huge cost driver that needs to be carefully managed. The issue of physician dispensing is a significant contributor to this. Impact on defense of case
• The panelists also talked extensively about their vision for the future of workers’ comp. They felt that carriers and TPAs needed to increase their focus on customer service as this can be a huge differentiator. They also cited the evolution of technology and analytics as something that will be very important in the future. Panelists also talked about the fact that the claims handling team is key to the relationship with the TPA/carrier.