In 2020, the workers' compensation and auto casualty regulatory environment was more active than ever—since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. states have passed a multitude of executive actions and emergency regulations. As we look ahead to 2021, the industry will start to see the long-term effects of these new COVID-19 regulations. Listen to our podcast to hear our legislative and regulatory predictions for 2021.
Summary
In this podcast hosted by Mitchell Senior Director of Marketing Shelley Callahan, our regulatory experts, Mitchell Senior Vice President of Regulatory Compliance Michele Hibbert-Iacobacci, Mitchell Vice President of Governmental Affairs Brian Allen and Genex Vice President of Utilization Management Ben Roberts, share their predictions about the regulatory changes they expect to see in 2021. In this episode, they cover:
- COVID-19 pandemic effects on the regulatory environment into 2021.
- Marijuana regulatory changes as a result of the 2020 election.
- Drug price transparency efforts.
- Workers' compensation presumption laws related to COVID-19.
- Telemedicine regulations into next year and beyond.
- Michigan no-fault reform and the new Michigan fee schedule set to go into effect in July.
- Auto casualty PIP state regulations and limits.
- COVID-19 testing for auto casualty claims.
- The opioid crisis, including the effects of the pandemic.
- California SB 1160 utilization review regulations.
2021 Predictions
Additionally, our experts shared their top overall regulatory prediction for 2021:
Ben Roberts: Liability for Remote Work Environments
Roberts shared that he believes the shifting workforce will be the biggest trend to watch in 2021. Much of the U.S. workforce has shifted to work from home, with many workers expected to stay remote even after the pandemic ends. For the workers’ compensation industry, he believes this will pose a challenge when it comes to worker safety, as the risks are different in a home environment compared to an office. "It's going to be really important to understand how liability extends to payors. In 2021, we're going to start to see the beginnings of some of that interpretation. It's going to be very important that courts begin to understand and rule on those things to give us clarity."
Michele Hibbert-Iacobacci: Acceptability of Telemedicine, Telehealth, Telerehab
"In workers' compensation, my biggest prediction for 2021 again falls into the telehealth world. Looking at what’s going on, it will be more operationalized, it will be accepted." Hibbert-Iacobacci said that for adjusters and other claim handlers, the biggest game changer will be having a clear understanding that telemedicine, telehealth, telerehab and others are acceptable forms of treatment.
Brian Allen: Federal Changes to Medical Marijuana Rules
"My big prediction centers on marijuana and Congress. I really expect in 2021 they're going to do something to reconcile the difference between where the states are at and where the federal government is at when it comes to marijuana." Allen said he believes the federal government might allow states to regulate marijuana similar to alcohol, allowing each state to decide the right policy. For more information about our 2021 predictions for auto casualty and workers' comp, read our articles listed below: https://www.mpower.mitchell.com/2021-auto-casualty-predictions/ https://www.mpower.mitchell.com/2021-workers-compensation-predictions/