Paduda: Catching Up

Monday, April 20, 2020 | 0

The brilliant minds at the Workers Compensation Research Institute aren’t slacking while WFH (working from home). Their latest is the 20th edition of the CompScope state-specific reports detailing the performance of 18 state workers’ compensation systems. Free to members.

Joe Paduda

Also, download a free copy of WCRI’s report on medical prices for services paid in 36 states.

The National Council on Compensation Insurance's annual meeting is still on for May 12; it kicks off virtually at 1 p.m. Eastern. This is a must-attend for all looking for the latest intel on all things workers’ comp.

Good news and helpful stuff

Gotta love the State Compensation Insurance Fund of California. SCIF is contributing $25 million to each of two programs ($50 million in total):

• One for essential workers who contract COVID-19 or are ordered to self-isolate due to potential exposure. The fund will provide assistance with wage replacement for up to six weeks and assist any worker without health coverage with uncovered medical costs.
• The other is for qualified policyholders. It will help defray the costs of safety-related expenses, planned or already incurred, related to protecting their workforces from COVID-19. Get info here. It is first come, first served.

If you are stressed a bit more than usual these days, spend a few minutes with Carisk’s David Vittoria — a wonderfully compassionate speaker — by signing up here. (Disclosure: I work with Carisk).

If you’re not entirely comfortable working remotely and want to be more effective in those Zoom meetings, here’s some very useful advice. Spoiler alert: We’re all on TV now, and the camera is the key.

For those new to WFH, some useful tips from the Harvard Business Review will help you manage the back-and-forth between work and nonwork time. HBR says:

• Plan your day.
• Prioritize what’s most important and stick to the list.
• Have transition time in the morning to get going, and in the p.m. to wind down.

If you miss people — I certainly do — here’s a wonderful piece on how neighbors can connect and stay connected, regardless of how long we’re apart.

Finally, JAMA’s allowing free access to a summary of all the drugs currently being evaluated as potential treatment for COVID-19. Hat tip to WaPo for the heads up.

Joseph Paduda is co-owner of CompPharma, a consulting firm focused on improving pharmacy programs in workers’ compensation. This column is republished with his permission from his Managed Care Matters blog.