The Impact of the Affordable Care Act on National Workers' Compensation was the leadoff session at the 2015 WCRI Annual Convention. "Resilience or Renovation," was the overall theme of this year's event, which took place from March 5-6 in Boston. The majority of the sessions discussed factors that have revolutionized workers' compensation systems over the past several decades. As the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is commonly seen as the largest change in American health care in nearly 40 years it clearly has the potential of significantly affecting workers' compensation in America. A WCRI study specially investigated whether the ACA has created a shifting of patient treatment from general health insurers to workers' compensation insurers by creating added financial incentive for doctors to move to workers' compensation for higher treatment reimbursement...read more.

Florida: Claimant Must Establish Medical Need for Ongoing Palliative Treatment. A Florida court has affirmed a JCC's decision denying a follow-up appointment with a claimant's authorized neurologist on the ground that...read more.

Colorado: Employer and Carrier Need Not Disclose If They Made Gifts to State Comp Judges. A workers' compensation claimant may not require a workers' compensation insurer or counsel for the insured employer to respond to...read more.

New Jersey: Slip and Fall in Elevator Lobby of Multi-Tenant Office Building is Not Compensable. In an unpublished opinion, a New Jersey appellate court held that an employee who slipped and fell in front of a ground floor elevator...read more.

Michigan: No Retaliatory Discharge Where Injured Employee Left Work Without Appropriate Excuse. In an unpublished decision, a Michigan appellate court affirmed a trial court's grant of summary judgment favoring...read more.

Kentucky: Thoroughbred Horse Training Is Within Definition of "Agriculture" Exemption. The Court of Appeals of Kentucky held that the state's Workers' Compensation Board appropriately dismissed an employee's claim for...read more.