Strategies and Solutions for Controlling
Workers Comp Costs and Improving Workplace Safety

Original Presentation Date: October 8, 2014)

Controlling workers compensation costs requires continuous effort with medical expenses, Medicare regulations and claims management among factors shaping employers' total cost of risk. Properly managing these complex issues to reduce their financial impact and administrative burden requires careful consideration of program structure, service-provider relations, and resources.

Don't miss out on great presentations and useful content from our 5th annual virtual conference focused on workers comp and safety solutions, a full day of webinars, audience Q&A and networking with peers that can help you better understand and manage the drivers for success in your workers comp and safety programs. Register to access all of this show content on-demand, including webinars, slides, and booth information from our sponsors.

Webinars presented during the show include:

• Top 10 Workers Compensation Cost Drivers: In this video webinar, William Zachry, vice president of risk management for Safeway Inc., reviews what he deems the 10 biggest cost-drivers of workers comp claims, and offers insights and tips on how to set up programs or operations to mitigate or reduce those costs. Included in his presentation is a detailed overview of medical fraud and schemes. The webinar is focused on employer or claims administrator activities, and is designed to offer ideas to help employers, TPAs, brokers and other works comp professionals to either get better results or more accurate pricing of products or services.
  
• Affordable Care Act—Advancements and Opportunities: The Affordable Care Act has brought changes to the health care system in the U.S., creating new challenges—and opportunities—for employers. This webinar, presented by Kimberly George, Senior Vice President and Senior Healthcare Advisor for Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc. in Chicago, explores the implications for workers compensation care by these ACA changes, as well as examining the impact from evolving health care models. The webinar also details exciting new advances in technology and their influence on health care. The focus of the webinar is on helping employers to make the most of the opportunities created by these changes.
  
• Prescription Drug Management—Formulary Design for Cost Control, Opioid Management: Opioids are still a huge problem in workers comp. This Business Insurance webinar examines a number of potential solutions that are being attempted, including new state legislation, and a need for closed prescription formularies to help limit some of the problems with opioids and other drugs that are still problems in workers comp. Experts agree that the industry needs to keep talking about the fight against opioid addiction. Speakers include Dr. Steven Feinberg, Chief Medical Officer of Feinberg Medical Group in Palo Alto, Calif.; Alex Swedlow, President of the California Workers' Compensation Institute; and Dr. Vennela Thumula, a policy analyst at the Workers Compensation Research Institute. Sheena Harrison, Associate Editor of Business Insurance, moderated the panel.
  
• Safety and the Baby Boomer—Strategies for Managing the Safety and Health of an Aging Workforce: As Baby Boomers enter their 50s and 60s, companies are bracing for dramatic changes in U.S. workforce demographics, particularly as 44% of the U.S. workforce is expected to be 55 and older by 2020. While older workers are less likely to be injured on the job, those who are hurt often take longer to return to work at full capacity, driving employer concerns about keeping this population safe. This Business Insurance webinar will examine how companies can manage safety and health concerns for older workers through strategies such as schedule flexibility, wellness programs and ergonomic job accommodations. Speakers include: David L. Barry, Senior Vp, National Technical Director for Casualty Risk Control for Willis North America; Lance Perry, a Senior Ergonomist/Professional Engineer for Zurich Services Corporation; and Debbie Villegas, Human Resources Manager for Jordan Foster Construction. Stephanie Goldberg, Associate Editor for Business Insurance, moderated the panel.