Issue 150 - August 2024
NEWS: WORTHY
2024 Workers’ Compensation Symposium Review
The symposium began with a presentation from Leann Farlander, Athens’ Managed Care’s assistant vice president of managed care. She introduced the Authority’s new “Utilization Preview” program and detailed the process. Senior Workforce Health Consultant Joan Salemme joined Dr. Taha Ahmad from Kaiser-on-the-Job for a presentation on “Supporting Mental Health in the Workplace.” They addressed the topic of burnout and how employers can help employees combat this persistent challenge. The California Workers’ Compensation Institute’s (CWCI) Chief Operating Officer Gideon Baum shared his extensive experience working at the State Capitol and provided an update regarding 2024 workers’ compensation legislation. Division Claims Manager Kevin Fritzsche from Athens Administrators gave attendees an update on some of the technological advances his company has implemented to assist injured workers and employers with the claims process.
The afternoon began with Giovanni Valencia and Catherine McWhorter, two longtime members of the Authority’s workers’ compensation defense panel, sharing some insights from recent case law. The program closed out with an informative presentation from San Bernardino Deputy District Attorney Michael Chiriatti, who addressed workers’ compensation fraud. He outlined the pertinent laws, the elements necessary to prove a fraud claim, and how claims administrators and investigative teams can properly submit claims for a District Attorney’s review.
If you have any topics you would like to be considered for next year’s Symposium, please contact Jeff Rush, workers’ compensation program manager.
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