Just like the novel coronavirus itself, the emergence of so-called long COVID has surprised both the patients who couldn’t shake their symptoms and the clinicians who have struggled to provide effective treatments. Now, as the U.S. looks to move past the pandemic, there remain unanswered questions about how this fallout from the virus might hamper some workers and for how long. These uncertainties could have important implications for workers’ compensation. By some measures, one in four patients who get COVID-19—even those with mild or asymptomatic cases—will experience subsequent symptoms that range from muscle and nerve pain to breathing difficulties to anxiety and depression. The scope of the challenge will require providers and employers to better understand the nature of the conditions, their origins, and the best paths for treatment. Watch this on-demand webinar to learn more about long COVID and the implications for workers and employers.
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When are Specialty Drugs, Biologics, and Biosimilars Used in Workers’ Compensation?
For workers’ compensation, specialty drugs are prescribed to treat conditions either directly or indirectly related to workplace injuries or illnesses. Directly related conditions, such as HIV and hepatitis, might occur when individuals are exposed to contaminated material (i.e. those working in healthcare or emergency service settings). Indirectly related conditions, such as inflammatory arthritis, are common, and the subsequent work disability and/or potential of being linked to this group of illnesses is significant. Other indirectly related conditions that could be compensable in workers’ compensation are those aggravated by a workplace injury, including multiple sclerosis. The impact specialty drugs will have on workers’ compensation claims will depend largely on the demographics of the insured population.
Property Damage Appraisers Gets Customers Back to Their Lives Faster by Helping Carriers Deliver on Their Promises
What began in 1963 as four fraternity brothers looking for additional work between classes has grown into a nationwide franchise organization. With 650+ appraisers serving thousands of clients, Property Damage Appraisers (PDA) completes an astonishing 450,000 estimates annually for auto, heavy equipment and property claims. How does a company that started as a college side project become one of the most successful damage estimating corporations in the nation?
WCF Insurance Proves that Doing the Right Thing is Good for Business
For more than 100 years, WCF Insurance has been protecting both workers and employers as Utah’s premier workers’ compensation insurance provider. Although the company has come a long way from its beginnings in 1917, its dedication to creating strong communities has remained constant.
40 Years in Workers’ Comp: The Evolution of Technology in Medical Management
Last week, I shared news of Genex Services reaching a momentous milestone – 40 years serving the workers’ compensation industry.
The Difference Between Specialty Drugs, Biologics, and Biosimilars
In the world of workers’ comp pharmacy benefit management, understanding generics vs. brand name drugs, narcotics, muscle relaxants, and compounds now seems relatively simple as compared with the latest pharmacy terminology: specialty drugs, biologics, and biosimilars. These terms are making the headlines with increased frequency, and while some think they are interchangeable, there truly are distinctions between them.
40 Years in Workers' Comp: Looking back on Our Industry's Continuous Evolution
This month Genex Services is celebrating its 40th anniversary, a significant accomplishment in this industry. For our company and staff, it’s a momentous occasion and cause for celebration.