After the 2012 reforms most of the attention went to IMR and the huge volume of UR disputes that wound up on the doorstep of Maximus, the DWC’s IMR provider. IBR, on the other hand, has gotten almost no attention. One would have thought that there was little friction between payors and medical providers over
Most of California’s major newspapers have covered the controversy surrounding former DIR head Christine Baker and the report of the California State Auditor which I outlined in my last post (see some links to the newspaper coverage below). According to a LA Times report, Governor Newsom’s office and new Insurance Commissioner Ricard0 Lara are not
With yesterday’s release of a report by California State Auditor Elaine Howle, lingering questions have now been answered about the 2018 sudden departure of Christine Baker from her post as Director of the California Department of Industrial Relations. Howle’s report details a pattern of nepotism, lies, favoritism, manipulation, retaliation, creation of a culture of fear
How has the law been developing on the “violent act” exception to California Labor Code 4660.1(c)(1)? That’s an issue I had occasion to look at recently as I prepared for a presentation on a panel with defense attorney Jake Jacobsmeyer at the yearly Montarbo Seminar in Sacramento. We spoke at the invitation of Red Bluff
Former WCAB Commissioner Frank Brass passed away yesterday. Brass had been in declining health for several years and had quietly retired from the WCAB at the start of 2018. He was a great guy and a dedicated public servant during his time on the board. In case you missed it, here is what I wrote