WorkCompAcademy | Weekly News

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB (En Banc) Limits Replacement QME Process. Admitting Evidence Not Listed at MSC Is Not "Harmless Error". Court Finds United Indian Health Immune From WCAB Jurisdiction. PAGA Action Prevailing Employer May Not Recover Costs From LWDA. Ninth Circuit Upholds AB 5 Against Independent Truckers' Challenge. SoCal Police Officer and Attorney Face $600K Comp Fraud Charges. Tulare Doctor Pleads Guilty to Distributing Misbranded COVID Drugs. Security Company Owner Sentenced for $3.4 M Premium Fraud.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: DOI For Coverage Mandatory Arbitration is Defined by LC 5412. Jury Trial Rights Attach to Claim for Unruh Civil Rights Act Damages. Six Month Delay in Requesting Arbitration Constitutes "Waiver". Public Insurance Adjusters Face Deceptive Practices Allegations. Fresno Health System to Pay $31.5 M to Resolve Kickback Case. Ventura County Unlicensed Physician Re-Arrested for Practicing. NCCI Report: Workers' Comp System Remains Strong. AI Outperforms Radiologists' Detection of Breast Cancers.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Upholds Managing Partner's Waiver of Comp Benefits. Court of Appeal Limits Exceptions to Going and Coming Rule. California FAA Preemption Battle Continues in Trial Courts. Medical Clinic Operator Admits Physician Identity Theft. California Legislators Take Steps to Clean Up "Rehab Riviera". DOL Announces Independent Contractor Rule - Version 4.0. California DOJ Publishes 5th Edition of Disability Rights Handbook. Industry Mourns Passing of WCJ William M. Carero.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Injured LAPD Officer Pursues FEHA Claim for Subrosa Investigation. "Death Knell Doctrine" Does Not Support Class Action Appeal. Attorneys and Others Charged in $14.5M Unlawful WC Referral Fraud. Amazon Driver Staged Robbery for Fraudulent Work Comp Claim. Fresno County Farmer Sentenced for Insurance Fraud. Janitorial Services Owner Sentenced for Comp Premium Fraud. Workers' Comp Claim Costs Increased Across 18 Study States. Researchers Target $19 Billion Academic Publishing Industry.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Major TPA Faces Challenge by Excess Carrier after $34.5M Verdict. State Farm, Farmers and 25 Top California Carriers Sued for "Collusion". SCOTUS Shifts Burden of Proof to Employers in ERISA Litigation. Employee Waiver of Meal Breaks for 6 hour Shifts Are Valid. PAGA One Year Statute of Limitations Applies to Penalties. $1M Verdict Against LAPD for FEHA Violations Affirmed. 39 State AGs Ask Congress to End PBM Pharmacy Ownership. AI Discussed at Orthopedic Surgeon San Diego Town Hall.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Denied Commutation of 76% PD Award to Pay Bills. Exclusive Remedy Applies if Contracting for 52+ Hour Job. Community Colleges Face Massive "Pell Runner" Financial Aid Fraud. Accounting Chief at Girardi Keese Law Firm to Serve 10 Years. Labor Alliance Officers Sentenced For WC and Pension Fraud. Insurance Agent and Son Charged With $1.4M Commission Fraud. Misdated VA PACT Act Disability Decisions Cost Millions. Studies Show Surgeons Continue to Leave Materials in Patients.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Applies Amended L.C. 4707(c) Retroactively. Filing Claim in Employers' Bankruptcy Not Required for UEBTF Benefits. L.A. Judge Disqualified Post Trial and $10M FEHA Verdict Reversed. Critic of Medi-Cal Crisis Launches SoCal Fraud and Corruption Task Force. DWC Releases 2024 Independent Medical Review (IMR) Report. Novo Nordisk and Others Challenge Medicare Drug Price Negotiations. ASHP Reports AI Helps Pharmacists Streamline Routine Tasks. Developments in Orthopedic Surgical and Non-Surgical Care.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Cigna Faces Class Action for Use of PxDx Algorithm to Deny Claims. Legal Aid Lawsuit Forces EDD to Fix Broken UI Notification System. UIM Arbitration is Not a "Civil Action" Protected by Covid Rules. Old Arbitration Agreements Need Clear Wording After Viking River. After Supreme Ct. Remand, CSU Need Not Reimburse Employees. LA Couple Sentenced for $2.3M WC Premium Fraud. San Diego Plumbing Contractor Sentenced for SCIF Premium Fraud. EDD Employee to Serve 66 Months for Fraud and Bribery Scheme.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Rules UR Denial Needs Adequate Medical History Records. Workers' Comp Claim Does Not Toll FEHA Statute of Limitations. SoCal Medical Group to Pay $62M to Settle False Claims Lawsuit. Bay Area Tow Truck Auto Fraud Conspiracies - Out of Control. Jury Convicts San Diego Attorney for Fraud Schemes. Treatment Center Operator Convicted for $2.9M in Kickbacks. Carson Tahoe Health System to Pay $8.8M for Unlawful Benefits. CWCI New Hire Notices Are Updated for 2025.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Outlines Ground Rules for WCJ Disqualification. Plaintiff's Attorney Disqualified for Violation of State Bar Rule 4.4. Activision Blizzard CEO Lawsuit Claims Defamatory Media Collusion. Appeal Reverses 33 out of 37 Counts Against Attorney Jon Woods. Sham Health Insurance Plan Resolves AG Claim for $1.3M. Minor Dent Leads to $3000 Insurance Fraud Sting Operation Arrest. Cal/OSHA Cites Contractor $157.5K for Open Trench Death. Annual Report: Santa Monica Workers' Comp Claims Surge.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: LC 3365.4 Barred Fatally Injured School Volunteer Survivors' Lawsuit. Cooperation & Assistance of Insured Clause Defends $9M Verdict. Failure to Oppose Summary Judgment is Good Cause to Grant it. Three Face Charges for Fraudulent LA Wildfire Benefit Claims. SafeLite Resolves IFPA Auto Insurance Fraud Case for $31M. Physician & SoCal Pharmaceutical Company VP Pleads Guilty. Court of Appeal Allows Case Against DHS for Underground Regs. ER Physician Staffing Firms Face Financial Difficulty & Bankruptcy.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Court of Appeal Clarifies Punch Press Exception to Exclusive Remedy. Top Court Says Maritime Law Overrides WC Exclusive Remedy. Buena Park Restaurant Faces $1.1M Wage Theft Penalties. Newsom Orders State Workers to Return to the Office. DWC Provides New Update on Virtual Courtroom Transition. DWC Invites Public Comments on Substantial UR Changes. Proposed Law Mandates Healthcare Insurance Denial Rate Reporting. Ortho Surgeon Inflation Adjust Pay Over 20 Years Declined 38%.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Supreme Court Rules IDL Pay Not Included in S&W Penalty. California Continues to Limit the SCOTUS Viking River Case. Employer Cannot Use Choice-of-Law Provisions to Avoid EFAA. Amity In-Home Care Cited $2.3M for Caregiver Misclassification. CSLB Walnut Creek Sting Leads to 13 Unlicensed Contractors. Insurance Commissioner Sets Moratorium on Policy Non-Renewals. California Judicial Council Reports on AI Task Force Progress. Providers Say 70% of Healthcare U.R Denials are Overturn.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Panel Says WCJ Self Destruct Orders are "Disfavored". Agreement Requires Plaintiff to Initiate Arbitration after Court Order. Task Force Uncovers Large-Scale Organized Insurance Fraud Ring. Blue Cross Sues L.A. "Insurance Advocate" for $7.6M Fraud. Judge Limits New California Anti "Pay-for-Delay" Pharma Law. Sutter Health Unveils $1B East Bay Facility Expansion Plan. Health Net to Pay Over $11M for False Cybersecurity Certification. Musk Escalates AI Battle As OpenAI Rejects $97B Takeover Bid.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Grants Removal to Avoid Undue Burden on Adjuster. SoCal Man Pleads Guilty to $17M Hospice Fraud. Couple Plead Guilty to Home Health Care Fraud. Legislature Seeks to Limit Misleading AI Healthcare. CDI to Assess Carriers $1B for FAIR Plan Bailout After LA Fires. DIR Proposes to Adopt New ACOEM Cannabis Guideline. Cal/OSHA Fines Plumbing Companies $530K for Trench Collapse. Researchers Say Hybrid AI Approach Helps Brain Surgery Planning.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Unless Open & Obvious, Injured Worker Must Request Accommodations. Motion to Arbitrate Needs Review of Arbitrator's Discovery Rules. Pfizer Company Resolves Kickback Case for $60M. QOL Medical Resolves Specialty Drug Kickback Case for $47M. State Farm Requests Wildfire Caused 22% Rate Increase. Cal/OSHA: COVID-19 Non-Emergency Standards Expired. Cal/OSHA Guidance During Wildfire Cleanup and Recovery. First-in-Class Non-Opioid Painkiller Approved by FDA.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: SEIU Nurses Union to pay $6.28M for Unlawful Hospital Strike. No Tort Recovery After Employee Loses Wrongful Discharge Case. FTC Releases New Report - PBMs Markup Generics by 1000%. Cal/OSHA increases civil penalty amounts for 2025. Agenda Announced for DWC 32nd Annual Educational Conference. Recent Medical Workforce Trends on Injured Workers. Independent Pharmacies Won't Carry Negotiated Price Drugs. AI Assisted Electrocardiogram Detects Cognitive Decline.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Orders Retroactive Application of 4903.05(c)(1) Lien Declaration. Employee Awarded Attorney Fees After Appeal of "Berman" Hearing. Imprisoned SoCal Doctor Must Forfeit All Proceeds of Fraud. Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Alleges Cedars-Sinai Conspiracy. 2024 Was Another Bad Year For US Health Care Cyberattacks. P/C Insurance Market Profitability Improves in 2024.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: FDA Continues Resisting Production of Pfizer Vaccine Documents. Legislators Propose Law to Help Finance Insurance Fire Losses. Palisades Firefighters Participate in First-of-its-Kind Cancer Study. Sutter Health to Invest $1B in AI Imaging With GE HealthCare. Dermatologicals Now Most Expensive WorkComp Drug Group. NSC MSD Solutions Index Reveals Workplace Safety Progress. Public Self-Insured Paid & Incurred Losses Increase. Latest Gallop Ratings of Lawyers & Judges Stay Historically Low.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB to Sanction Attorney After Admonishments in 5 Cases. California Staffing Company Starts Gig Economy Legal Battle. Court Rules on FEHA Fees After Trip to Supreme Ct and Settlement. EEOC Says Wearable Technologies May Violate Employment Law. Two New Federal Laws Reduce Employer Administrative Burdens. New Law Limits Use of AI Alone in Making UR Determinations. Cal/OSHA Issues Safeway a $182K Citation For Unsafe Conditions. State Compensation Insurance Fund Declares 15% Dividend.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Supreme Court Limits ER Price Disclosure Obligations to Patients. New L.C. Whistleblower Attorney Fee Law Applies to Pending Cases. Physician Admits $3M SIBTF Fraud Naming O.C. Judge as Co-Conspirator. Ventura County Physician to Serve 2 Years for $3M Healthcare Fraud. First Pharmaceutical "Consultant" Based Opioid Criminal Case Settles for $650M. Cal/OSHA Cites City of Los Angeles Animal Services Center $563K. Cal/OSHA Issues $276,425 Citation for First Serious Willful Heat Violations. Carriers File RICO Suits Against SoCal Addiction Treatment Centers. SoCal Laboratory and Owners Resolve Kickbacks Case for $15M.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: CEO of Large Vocational Center Faces 23 Counts of SJDB Insurance Fraud. Oroville Hospital Resolves Kickbacks and False Billing Claim for $10.25M. Former Insurance Agent Arraigned in $900K Long-Term Care Fraud Scheme. Bay Area Home Health Company Owner to Serve 2 Years for Fraud. Subminimum Wage For Disabled Workers Ends in California on January 1st. WCIRB Geostudy Shows LA Basin Most Costly Area For Claims. California Moves to top 10 in National Hospital Safety Ratings Study. Kaiser Permanente Quadrupled Hospital at Home Care in 2024.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Equitable Estopple Compels Arbitration With Non-Signatory Affiliated Employers. Late Arbitration Fee Penalties Not Applicable to Post Dispute Agreement. Massive Increases in Payroll Taxes Needed to Fix "Broken" UI System. Safety National Announces Winners of the 2024 Safety First Grant Program. DWC Seeks Public Input on Update to SJDB/RTW Rules. DWC Announces Transition to CourtCall Video Platform for Hearings. DIR Publishes Fiscal Year 2024/2025 Policy Assessment Notice. USC Keck Hospital Succeeds and Leads Nation at Nurse Manager Retention.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Supreme Court Rejected Long Standing Rule in Carrier Subrogation Case. Jury Awards Injured Walmart Truck Driver $34M For Subrosa Based Discharge. SoCal School District Joins 200 Self-Funded Employers Suing Drugmakers. Fresno Pharmacist to Serve 7 Years for Trafficking 450,000 Opiate Pills. Pharmaceutical Company and Its CEO Pay $47M to Resolve Kickback Case. U-S Framing West Faces 31 Wage Theft Criminal Charges. So Cal Prosecutors Fight New Street Drug 3 Times Stronger Than Fentanyl. Decline in WC Opioid Use Outpaced Decline in Overall Population.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: 2nd and 4th District Courts of Appeal Diverge on Arbitration/Preclusion Doctrine. Arbitrator's Award is Not Final or Appealable Until it Resolves All Issues. Four SoCal Residents Arrested for Faked Bear Attacks and Insurance Fraud. Fresno County Man Indicted for Falsified Disability Insurance Claims. Farmer and Owner of Fruit Packing Company Convicted of Insurance Fraud. NCCI's Annual Comp Carrier Survey Shows Strong & Healthy System. DOJ Sues to Stop UnitedHealth's Proposed $3.3B Merger With Amedisys. RFK Jr. Recommends Replacing 600 National Institute of Health Employees.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: 11 Applicants take WCAB Illegal "Grant for Study" Problem to Supreme Court. WCAB Admonishes Applicant Attorney in Significant Panel Decision. 9th Circuit Limits Biden's Contractor Minimum Wage Executive Order. Shuttered and Defunct Bakery Agrees to Pay $1M in Unpaid Wages to Workers. Lyft Resolves Advertising Exaggerated Earnings Lawsuit For $2.1M. Employers Required to Use New DWC Form 7 Starting January 1. Two Riverside Brothers Sentenced for $2.1M Insurance Fraud. Two Generic Drug Makers Resolve Price Conspiracy Charges for $49.1M.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Well Known Los Angeles Attorney Pleads Guilty to $4M Income Tax Fraud. Newsom's Tax Credit Proposal to Bolster California's Sagging Film Industry. California Freelance Worker Protection Act Takes Effect January 1. Audit Documents Serious Problems With Addiction Treatment Centers. Cal/OSHA Implements Translation App to Communicate With Workers. CMS Reports Success With New Acute Hospital Care at Home (AHCAH). Cedars-Sinai Establishes Multi-Discipline Health Sciences University. Grant Awarded to San Diego Children's Hospital for Genomics Innovation.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Litigation Against Kaiser for Not Updating Provider Directory to Proceed. Portions of State Prison Workers Wage/Hour Class Action Revived on Appeal. Walmart Resolves Illegal Medical Waste Disposal Litigation for $7.5M. CHP Captain Arrested For Workers' Compensation Fraud. Fresno Vocational School Owner Faces Work Comp Fraud Charges. Southern California Dentist Charged for $900K Medi-Cal Fraud. American Airlines Penalized $50M for Its Treatment of Disabled Passenger. 82% of Healthcare Leaders See AI as Vital Amid Burnout Crisis.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Twice Convicted David Fish Faces Third Fraud Case With QME Co-Defendant. Accounting Chief at Girardi Keese Law Firm Guilty of Stealing Client Money. Fake Attorney and Associates Arrested for Insurance Fraud. CWCI Reports that the SAWW Increase Bumps California WC Benefits for 2025. Study Shows California Utilization of Medical Care for Injured Workers Declines. DWC Set 2025 Profile Audit Review and Full Compliance Audit Standards. Business Group on Health 2025 Employer Health Care Strategy Survey. Researchers Say Drug Trials Funded by Manufacturers are "Massively" Biased.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Additional Notices Not Required After Timely UR Delay Notice in Denied Case. Justice Department Sues LA Fitness for Disability Discrimination at Its Gyms. Court Decides When Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault Act Applies. Court Again Rules that EFAA Prohibits Arbitration of Entire FEHA Claim. L.A. Pair Indicted for $54M Diagnostic Testing and Hospice Fraud. Farm Labor Contractor Cited for Heat-Related Safety Violations. Andrea Coleman to Succeed Bill Mudge as WCIRB President, CEO. Stanford Medicine Now Deploys 30 AI Tools for Diagnosis & Decision Making.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Nurse Anesthesiology Association Sues for Pay Equal to Physicians. California Attorney General Sues to Avoid Closures at Bay Area Hospitals. 9th Circuit Affirms Sam Solakyan's Conviction & Reverses Restitution Order. CEO of SoCal Stem Cell Products Company Sentenced to 3 Years. California's Addiction Treatment Regulatory System Faces State Audit. WCIRB Publishes Long COVID in the California WC System -2024 Update. 8 Technologies Drain $8 Billion in Value From Health Systems Annually. F.D.A. Appeal Successfully Shuts Down So.Cal. Stem Cell Treatment Center.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Employer's Oversight Resulted in Arbitration Waiver. $1.7 Million Settlement Resolves Kern County Wingstop Wage Theft Case. Southern California Healthcare Provider Indicted for $60M Fraud. Governor Newsom Signs WCAB Electronic Signatures Law. DWC Opens Registration for 32nd Annual Educational Conference. WCRI Studies Impact of Attorney Representation on Workers' Comp Payments. U.S. Healthworks Settles Unlawfully Retained Overpayments Case for $7.7M. Competitor Files Antitrust Litigation Against Largest EHR Provider - EPIC Health.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Appellate Court Expedites Injured Police Officer Through Multi-Forum Litigation. Employees Denied Attorney Fees in Employment Law Dispute. Dignity Health in Legal Battle With Orthopedic Surgeon Over His Competency. Jury Finds Treatment Center Owner Guilty of $2.9M in Body Broker Kickbacks. Newsom Signs Remote Court Reporter Technology Pilot Project. DWC Announces Closure of Virtual Eureka Office. UCSD Evaluates Surgical Use of Spatial Computing App on Apple Vision Pro. California Cannabis Industry, and State Regulator in Chaos Over Pesticides.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: After "Grant-and-Study" Order WCAB Reverses Dismissal of 1100 Liens. Court of Appeal Provides Rules for Excess Insurance Application. 9th Circuit Reverses Wage Dispute Judgment Against 353 S.F. City Nurses. DEA Takes Action After 900 Pharmacy Burglaries Across the Country. NCCI Releases WC Legislative and Regulatory Activity Report. 300 Telehealth Organization Urge 2 Year Extension of Virtual Prescribing Rule. Hospital Patient Safety Rebounds And Better Than Pre-COVID. American Medical Association Publishes 270 New CPT Codes For 2025.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Court of Appeal Again Limits WCAB Jurisdiction on Reconsideration to 60 Days. Applicant Attorneys Battle Out Law Practice Sale Fee Split in En Banc Case. No Pay for Uninsured Contractor Even After Retroactive Reinstatement. After 9 Years, 3 Jury Trials, 2 Appeals - Attorney Fees are Far More Than Award. Special Shout-Out for Floyd Skeren Partner for Defense of $75M Civil Claim. Cal/OSHA Cites 9 Employers $168K For Silica Health and Safety Violations. VA Hospitals' Quality Ratings Continue to Outperform Private Sector. American Academy of Physician Associates Calls Out AMA Turf War.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Supreme Ct. Increases Scope of Discovery Sanctions in $2.5M Example. Jury Finds Infamous Plaintiff Lawyer Tom Girardi Guilty of Defrauding Clients. Appellate Case Shows Web of Entities in Biggest Comp Fraud Schemes. SoCal Federal Whistleblower Pilot Program to Flesh Out High-Level Crimes. Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Defrauding Buyers of Medical-Grade Gloves. Fresno Acupuncturist Agrees to $850,000 Healthcare Fraud Settlement. 2,325 People Died From Heat Last Year, Mostly In The Desert Southwest. Cal/OSHA Bolsters Staff to Investigate the Most Egregious Violations.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Court Ends New FTC Rule Banning Employer Non-Compete Agreements. 9th Circuit Decision Continues "Judicial Hostility" to Employer Arbitration. Workers File Class Actions Against Employers for Excessive PBM Drug Costs. Separate Public Entities Exempt From Wage Order and PAGA Claims. Former CHP Officer Arrested for Workers' Compensation Fraud. SJDB School Owner and Counselors Face $1M Fraud & Kickback Charges. Huntington Beach Company Succeeds With First Artificial Heart Transplant. MIT Researchers Study Why Laws are Written in an Incomprehensible Style.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Carrier Prevails in Cal. Supreme Ct. on Pandemic Related Property Coverage. WCAB Rejects Earnings Calculated With Hotel and Meal Reimbursement. Conspiracy and Fraud Charges Added Against Bio-Lab Operator. Proposed Law Strengthens Review of Private Equity Healthcare Buyouts. New CIGA Board and WCIRB Governing Committee Members Announced. WCRI Study Identifies Key Factors Associated with High-Cost Claims. JOEM Study Show the Value and Cost-Savings of MSK Digital Care Program. NIH-Backed Research Finds Lab Tests Cannot Diagnose Long COVID.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Cal Supreme Ct. Limits Overlapping PAGA Claims Against Same Employer. WCAB Imposes an Additional $25 K in Sanctions Against the Garrett Team. Injured Worker's Failure to Cite Evidence in Record Forfeits Claim on Appeal. Ex Fugitive Ringleader of Massive $6M Insurance Fraud Pleads Guilty. Owner of 10 DME Companies Guilty of Defrauding Anthem Blue Cross of $1.7M. Travelers Publishes 2024 Injury Impact Report. RAND Report Paints Dismal Financial Picture for SIBTF Benefits. Non Comp Benefits Expanded for Disabled Persons in Need of Voc. Rehab.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Cal Supreme Court Rules Uber-Lyft Proposition 22 is Not Unconstitutional. WCAB Affirms Take-Nothing in Rare Tick Bite - Lyme Disease Case. Supreme Ct. Rules Single Racial Epithet in 14 Years Sufficient for DFEH Claim. California and Other States Restaurant Wage Mandates Cause Job Losses. Proposed Law to Fine Insurers for "Ghost" Provider Networks. California DOI Announces Changes to State's Insurer of Last Resort. WCIRB Issues 2024 State of the Workers' Compensation System Report. 2 SoCal Hospitals Among 8 Nationwide Leading In Antimicrobial Stewardship.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Court of Appeal Affirms Worker's Fraud Conviction Based on Sub Rosa. Guidelines Specified for Severability of Unconscionable Arbitration Provisions. Biopharmaceutical Company Resolves Kickback Case for $5.5 Million. Santa Paula Doctor Pleads Guilty to $3 Million Fraud. DaVita Dialysis to Pay $34M to Resolve Allegations of Illegal Kickbacks. Riverside Chiropractor Agrees to Pay $180K to Resolve Fraud Allegations. DOI Calls for WCIRB Study of Workers' Compensation Silicosis Claims. Ransomware Takes LA Superior Court 36 Office Internal Systems Down.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: SIBTF Has Burden of Proof For L.C. 4753 Benefit Reductions. SCOTUS Rules Insurers May Participate in Insured Bankruptcy Proceedings. $500 Million Severance Pay Lawsuit Against Elon Musk Dismissed. S.F. Zen Center Worker Meets ADA Discrimination Ministerial Exception. Privette Doctrine Applies to Injury Working Inside Jet Tank. Guardant Health, Inc. Agrees to Pay $914K to Resolve FCA Charges. Federal Judiciary Has Systemic Sexual Harassment Protection Failures. Doctors Face Another Medicare Pay Cut - 2.8% in 2025.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Small Claims Case Bars Injured Worker's Later Claims Against Employer. Microsoft Resolves California Leave Discrimination Claim for $14.4M. Proposed Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Rule to Face Legal Challenges. CWCI Reports Private Self-Insureds Have Fewer Claims But Higher Losses. FTC Releases Interim Staff Report Criticizing Prescription Drug Middlemen. DWC Schedules Next QME Exams for October 4 and 10, 2024. NCCI Labor Market Insights Report Shows Solid Employment Growth.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Sub-Rosa Justifies City of Downey's Termination of Injured Police Officer. DLSE Imposition of Labor Code Penalties on Contractor Affirmed on Appeal. 193 Defendants Charged for Over $2.75 Billion in Fraudulent Health Care Claims. American Labor Alliance Executives Convicted of $2.4M Worker's Comp Fraud. Pharmacist Charged with Submitting Over $300M in Fraudulent Claims. Former Camarillo Insurance Agent Sentenced to 16 Years for $1.2M Scam. Newsom's Budget Woes Delay Start of Healthcare Minimum Wage Hike. Cal/OSHA Adopts Indoor Heat Protection Standard With Prison Exemptions. Per-Page Fees Under New Fee Schedule Drive Med-Legal Costs Up Sharply. Workers' Comp is in a "Total System Breakdown" - For California Firefighters.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Cal. Supreme Ct. Clarifies Vertical v Horizontal Integration of Excess Insurance. Court of Appeal Reinstates COVID-19 Wrongful Death Case Against Employer. After Imposing $40K in Sanctions WCAB Seeks More Against Garretts. Amazon Cited $6M for Violating California's Warehouse Quotas Law. CEO and President of ADHD Telehealth Company Arrested for $100M Fraud. Newsom and Business Leaders Announce PAGA Reform Agreement. CWCI Examines California's Proposed Agricultural Heat Injuries Presumption.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB En Banc Clarifies Confusion on Use of "Kite" Based CVC Rebuttal. AB 5 Survives Uber and Postmates' Constitutional Challenge. The EEOC Sued 15 Employers for Failure to File EEO-1 Report. Coalition of 36 State Attorney Generals Urge SCOTUS to Limit PBMs. Farm Labor Contracting Companies Face $30M Payroll Fraud Charges. California Chamber of Commerce "Job Killer Bills" Miss Key Deadline. DWC Sets Public Hearing for Proposed UR Regulation Changes. Watchdog Group Says Trailer Bill Insurance Rate Provisions Will Cost Billions.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Affirms WCJ's Apportionment in Psyche Case. WCAB Rescinds WCJ Order to Compel Answers to Interrogatories. No Discovery of Attorney Work Product in Carrier's Subrogation Case. New Trial Ordered in Employers' Class Action Against Sutter Health. Palomar Hospital Pays $250,000 for Diverting Fentanyl. Growing Number of Female Minority Doctors in California Report Burnout. FDA Approves Traumatic Brain Injury. Rapid Test Using One Drop of Blood. Data from MRI Can Detect Who Will Get Alzheimer's and When.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Affirms Sanctions Against Monrovia Memorial Hospital. Cal/STERS/PERS & WC Carriers Subrogation Rights in MedMal Cases. Court Proceeding Must be Stayed (Not Dismissed) When Arbitration is Ordered. Patient Coordinator for O.C. Sober Living Home Arrested for Kickbacks. 17 Prosecutors Awarded $8.55 Million to Prosecute Wage Theft. New DOL Protections for Workers in Temporary Agricultural Employment. OSHA Announces Changes to the Structure of Regional Operations. WCRI Study Compares Hospital Outpatient Payments in 36 States.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: WCAB Declines Subject Matter Jurisdiction Over NBA Player's Claim. WCAB En Banc Imposes Sanctions and Costs on Applicant Attorney. California Supreme Court Resolves Pandemic Insurance Coverage Dispute. L.A. Jury Awards Over $58M to Injured Palmdale Train Yard Worker. 9th Circuit Judges Hotly Divided Over Termination of Stockton Fire Chief. Janitorial Company Owners Arraigned for $2.4M Payroll Fraud. NSC Releases Research on Location Geofencing to Enhance Safety. Uber Announces Major Expansion of its Healthcare Reach.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: CHP Employee and Fourteen Others Charged in Insurance Fraud Ring. Employee Death Leads to Alleged $2M Premium Fraud Prosecution. County DA's Office Probes Internal Theft of Insurance Fraud Grant Funds. Cal/OSHA Proposes to Extend and Modify Temporary Silica Safety Standard. WCIRB Releases Fourth Quarter 2023 Experience Report. NCCI 2023 Metrics Show Continued Strength of Workers Comp System. DWC to Impose Sanctions for EAMS E-Filer User Errors. New Study Shows Diseases Linked to Night Shift Work.

Rene Thomas Folse, JD, Ph.D. is the host for this edition which reports on the following news stories: Jury Awards $971K to Female L.A. County Sheriff Captain for Discrimination. Good Faith Belief of Compliance Precludes Penalties & Attorney Fees. Failure to Object to Extended Time for Arbitration Fees is Not an "Agreement". Seeking Attorney Fees in Bad Faith Action Waives Attorney-Client Privilege. County DA Sues Major Carriers for Illegal Claim Evaluation Scheme. Physician and Owner of Bellflower Clinic Pleads Guilty to $2.5 Million Fraud. Excessive Heat Increases Probability of Work-Related Accidents by 5-6%. NCCI Publishes Third Report on Future of Workplace Safety Technology. Despite California's #37 Best State Ranking, it was #6 in Health Care. GPO Drug Middlemen Blamed for Chronic Drug Shortages - Evade Senate Bill.