How Trump Policies Contribute to Dire Scenario for Workers’ Compensation

By | March 26, 2018

  • March 26, 2018 at 8:34 am
    PolarBeaRepeal says:
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    • March 26, 2018 at 9:37 am
      Confused says:
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      I did not read your entire comment, which, up to the point I stopped reading to get on to other matters this morning, seems to be a very good summary. Or not. Who knows. I didn’t read the entire comment so I really shouldn’t comment on the content of what I did not bother to finish reading.

      • March 26, 2018 at 10:43 am
        PolarBeaRepeal says:
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        • March 26, 2018 at 10:57 am
          Captain Planet says:
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          NOVEMBER 10, 2017 AT 10:29 AM
          PolarBeaRepeal says:
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          behave like an adult and accept fair criticism. We who read and comment here want adult level conversations on the TOPIC of the related article. If you can’t follow those simple guidelines, post elsewhere, where you can spout your vile hatred for those whose opinions don’t match yours.

          • March 26, 2018 at 11:08 am
            PolarBeaRepeal says:
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          • March 26, 2018 at 11:20 am
            Captain Planet says:
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            Agent says:
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            Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
            You can also use Glue Stick instead of Chap Stick troll.
            Reply

        • March 26, 2018 at 11:52 am
          Confused says:
          Hot debate. What do you think?
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          Don’t bother reading any of IJ’s articles. You wouldn’t understand them. Stick to Rethuglican websites.

          • March 27, 2018 at 8:49 am
            Captain Planet says:
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            I heard that about you, Yogi. Pretty unstoppable on the shuffleboard, aren’t you?

        • March 27, 2018 at 8:51 am
          Captain Planet says:
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          PolarBeaRepeal says:
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          Trolls are people who have nothing to add to discussions, but who intervene for the sake of disruption to seek reactions, or personal attacks on those whose opinions contrast with their own.

    • March 26, 2018 at 12:22 pm
      mr opinion says:
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      You should have read the whole thing. There was very little in the way of attacking Trump or even Republican policies. Victor claims the anti-immigration rhetoric will keep away or drive away qualified legal immigrants. The policies of anti-ILLEGAL immigration themselves wont have an impact except to the degree they fuel the rhetoric. Even avid conservatives are usually not 100% against immigration, just illegal-immigration. Even the reduction in immigration is only bad because of the enormous amount of retiring baby-boomers. The health insurance segment is the only area where he really attacked Trump’s policies, specifically repealing ACA. From an analysis of Workers Comp costs, his comments are accurate. That doesn’t mean the solution is to save ACA. ACA was terrible. It just means that as it is dismantled, other solutions to reduce health care costs need to be enacted. You could start by capping contingency fees for malpractice lawyers…Put Celino & Barnes out of business so they can’t advertise those “I got 40x what insurance offered” cases. Standing-up for people who are hurt, doesn’t mean they need to win the frigg’n lottery. And if you’re saying it’s not really that much, it’s only because they give the lawyer 1/3.

      • March 26, 2018 at 1:37 pm
        Craig Cornell says:
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        Excellent summary. Truly.

        Which exposes the Headline as a total fraud. Trump has almost nothing to do with all of these
        trends; they have been developing for decades.

        The only thing you might possibly blame on Trump is a curtailing of ILLEGAL immigration, which is supported by a large majority of Americans. But legal immigration can be adjusted to allow us to hire the workers we need, so what’s the beef?

        Also, Trump took away the individual mandate. So the people without health insurance are CHOOSING not to buy it. As the article says, because of the high cost.

        Which Obama did nothing to fix when he signed Obamacare into law. So how is that Trump’s fault?

        Insurance Journal: Pravda for Useful Idiots.

        • March 26, 2018 at 2:09 pm
          Craig says:
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          You nailed it!

        • March 26, 2018 at 2:13 pm
          Jack says:
          Hot debate. What do you think?
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          Craig- you nailed it.

          Who has one of the largest lobbies in DC? Health insurance companies! What has your health insurance premium done since Obola? That’s right…blown up. And please liberals don’t talk about the subsidized rates some Americans are getting. You do understand the word subsidized don’t you?

        • March 26, 2018 at 5:12 pm
          Andrew G. Simpson says:
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          Just a note that the headline uses the word “contributes” not “causes” and the article throughout acknowledges trends that have been developing for years.

          • March 26, 2018 at 5:22 pm
            Craig Cornell says:
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            Oh, man. “Trump Contributes to Cancer.” “Trump Contributes to Upset Stomachs.” “Trump Contributes to Car Accidents.”

            This could work for any article on anything in the world!

            Maybe I can get a job as a Headline Writer for the Insurance Journal.

          • March 26, 2018 at 7:07 pm
            Cut the Bias says:
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            Yes, Craig, if Trump enacted policies that contributed to these things, you could write them and they would be factual, as the title of this article is.

            Does it hurt your feelings when people call a spade a spade? Perhaps we should beat around the bush more?

            Andrew, please update the title to be more sensitive. Something like:

            “Mysterious orange smear left on chairs wherever dire consequences for Workers Compensation can be found…”

            or, conversely:

            Wherever there is injustice, you’ll find him.
            Wherever there is suffering, he’ll be there.
            Wherever liberty is threatened, you will find…

            The Orange Bad Hombre!

          • March 26, 2018 at 9:20 pm
            PolarBeaRepeal says:
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            Here’s a better title for some of these comments:
            Trump contributes to angst of Libitterals

            Obama and ACA contributed to people losing 11+ hours of work per week with the 30 hour exemption rule of ACA. The current scenario is seeing new full time jobs being offered, despite the retention of the 30 hour rule because employers anticipate a repeal at some near point in time, and they are able to hire more workers due to lower overhead costs; i.e. lowered corporate tax rate vs. prior to TRA-17.

          • March 27, 2018 at 8:53 am
            Captain Planet says:
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            Yogi wrote, “because employers anticipate a repeal at some near point in time…”

            MARCH 23, 2018 AT 9:36 AM
            DNCs Coll(F)usion GPShip Strzok an IceberGowdy says:
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            Got any rock-solid, blue-dress evidence?

          • March 27, 2018 at 9:55 am
            StorMonica DanieLewinskis says:
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            What is blue dress evidence?

          • March 27, 2018 at 10:21 am
            confused says:
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            did you REALLY just ask Captain to explain what YOU previously meant when you posted that line???

          • March 27, 2018 at 1:26 pm
            StorMonica DanieLewinskis says:
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            Warning; rabbit hole ahead!

          • March 27, 2018 at 1:43 pm
            Captain Planet says:
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            MARCH 23, 2018 AT 9:39 AM
            DNCs Coll(F)usion GPShip Strzok an IceberGowdy says:
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            …no evidence. Nothing. Nada. Bupkis. Zero. Zilch. Zip….

      • March 26, 2018 at 9:11 pm
        PolarBeaRepeal says:
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        No, the mention of Trump in the title was a clear sign of the intent of the source author to create FICTION about the future, much like Al Gore. It was clearly politically motivated.

        • March 27, 2018 at 8:54 am
          Captain Planet says:
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          DECEMBER 14, 2017 AT 1:04 PM
          PolarBeaRepeal says:
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          Try very hard to stick to the subject in your initial replies instead of veering hard off course to an off topic comment. I thank you, and IJ staff will allow you to continue to post if you follow those simple guidelines.

          • March 27, 2018 at 1:28 pm
            PolarBeaRepeal says:
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            Having trouble focusing on the topic today?

          • March 28, 2018 at 8:55 am
            Captain Planet says:
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            You didn’t punctuate correctly. You meant to say “Having trouble focusing on the topic today!”

            It’s so odd you end some of your statements with question marks.

      • April 2, 2018 at 7:11 am
        PolarBeaRepeal says:
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        I read the whole thing and agree with portions of your summary. But you COMPLETELY missed the key point that Trump is blamed for major Social, Fiscal, Criminal, Drug-trafficking, Human-trafficking, and Disease/Health-related problems started by Democrats and exacerbated by Obama with DACA, Catch & Release, and Sanctuary City policies of Libitteral Socialist/ Communist Mayors and Governors.

        Regarding analysis of WC, he is far off any sensible analysis by projecting frequency increases in light of tech and other safety advances that lower frequency, past, present, and future.

    • March 26, 2018 at 2:18 pm
      Jack Kanauph says:
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      Workers Comp is pretty specific in what it will cover, and responds for a covered peril. How will repealing the ACA convert health claims over to WC that would be paid?
      I think Dr. Victor is simply trying to sell his upcoming book and using President TRUMP attacks as promotion.

      • March 26, 2018 at 4:03 pm
        Agent says:
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        Jack, wonder how many carriers will honor Marijuana to treat pain on WC claims. I have spoken to several who won’t. They don’t want to pay for drugs which are self medicating and turn peoples brains to mush and then pay for Scromiting treatment later when the workers become Recreational abusers.

        • March 26, 2018 at 4:08 pm
          Rosenblatt says:
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          Agent – have you asked those carriers how they currently deal with opioids, such as OxyContin & Percocet?

          • March 26, 2018 at 9:11 pm
            PolarBeaRepeal says:
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            Ask them yourself.

      • March 27, 2018 at 8:53 am
        mr opinion says:
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        Jack – I don’t know about you, but we’ve been seeing a huge uptick in “occupational” disease/injury claims…bad backs, long-term joint damage, hearing loss, etc. While these CAN be related to work, it is not definitive. Regardless, Doctors will state definitively that it is work-related. The Workers Comp Boards accept these determinations as fact and award lifetime partial or total disability. In NY, hearing loss cases cannot even be apportioned to the workers various employers. 100% of the claim falls to the last employer. These cases can be avoided or at least mitigated if workers had access to affordable heath care to manage developing issues throughout their lives. There are other factors that contribute to this surge, but this is definitely part of it. NOT saying ACA is the fix, just showing an example of the relationship between affordable heath insurance and Workers Comp costs.

    • March 26, 2018 at 9:07 pm
      PolarBeaRepeal says:
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      re-posted due to childish censoring by Libiterals;

      I did not read the entire article, which, up to the point I stopped reading to get on to other matters this morning, seems to be a very good summary by A. Simpson. My initial comment is that the projections by Dr. Victor seem to be biased toward unfavorable circumstances, perhaps due to a political bias. I agree that the aging workforce of Baby Boomers will result in temporary labor shortages. But the theory that less experienced workers will incur more injuries and higher frequencies of WC claims requires an assumption of a static environment of safety devices and methods. What we’ve seen in the enactment of legislation on safety standards and development of technological advances over many decades is in contrast to that assumption. We can expect the current trend of lower claim frequencies until it reaches a lowest valley point mainly due to unavoidable human error and random events.

      There are comments on the theoretical impact on WC claim frequency due to ILLEGAL immigration being reversed by the Trump Administration. The politics of that policy is something that seemed to propel Dr. Victor, who was drawn out of retirement, to write his book and speak about those alleged impacts of immigration policies and politics on Workers Comp at a ‘rubber chicken dinner’ event. I have a great deal to say about this misleading projection, but no time to do so now.

      • March 27, 2018 at 12:18 pm
        helpingout says:
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        Stop this. Accept fair criticism that it is an unpopular decision, because it was. The main reason that it is still up this time is that it is so far down that the people no longer car to read comments, not “childish” liberals. It is more childish to repost when if someone cared for your input they could unhide the unpopular decision.

    • March 27, 2018 at 10:39 am
      Agent says:
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      Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.

      • March 27, 2018 at 1:11 pm
        Captain Planet says:
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        MARCH 12, 2018 AT 4:31 PM
        Agent says:
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        Boring, boring, boring. Your act is getting very old. Take a hike. No one wants to read your total rubbish.

        • April 2, 2018 at 7:19 am
          PolarBeaRepeal says:
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          Your ‘act’ is definitively libitteral. So, please continue to post. You mirror the actions and words of Pelosi, Clinton, Waters, Warren, Sanders, Schumer, Comey, McCabe, Obama, and other Socialists who are out of power in DC. It will remind independents which political party is contributing to the good of US citizens, and which party is purely obstructionists.

          • April 2, 2018 at 12:11 pm
            Captain Planet says:
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            DECEMBER 14, 2017 AT 1:04 PM
            PolarBeaRepeal says:
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            Try very hard to stick to the subject in your initial replies instead of veering hard off course to an off topic comment. I thank you, and IJ staff will allow you to continue to post if you follow those simple guidelines.

  • March 26, 2018 at 1:59 pm
    Lou says:
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    I disagree with the headline and premise of the article, with one exception. The ACA (Obamacare) has reduced access to cost effective health insurance, increased costs to individuals and companies. This will no doubt have spill over effect on WC to some degree. However this is hardly dire. Our system has become very refined, and really only suffers when politics enter the picture, California being a prime example. Can’t be too bad as WC premiums are trending down. At some point they will start to trend up. and so it goes.

    • March 26, 2018 at 3:02 pm
      Agent says:
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      Lou, I couldn’t believe Andrew actually published this article unless he has joined the Resistance. I can tell you that in Texas, WC rates have been dropping for some time now due to good overall loss experience. Texas Mutual continues to pay record dividends to their policyholders and they dominate the market.

      By the way, until we get the lazy off their butts (95 Million) and start working again, that is where the labor shortage is. We don’t need millions of new illegals fed into the system who don’t even know English. How can they be trained if they don’t understand?

      • March 26, 2018 at 3:07 pm
        sal says:
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        you won’t actually be surprised when that comment gets deleted, will you? You can’t expect to insult Andrew and expect otherwise.

        • March 26, 2018 at 3:25 pm
          confused says:
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          you won’t actually be surprised when your (sal) comment gets deleted but they leave up agent’s, will you? having been here for a while, agent and polarbear get away with saying whatever they want and are always able to get other people’s comments deleted. i do not expect that to change and don’t think you should hold your breath for it to happen either

          • March 26, 2018 at 9:14 pm
            PolarBeaRepeal says:
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            You won’t actually be surprised when you’re banned again, for trolling without ANYTHING to say about the topic of the article, will you?

          • March 26, 2018 at 9:16 pm
            PolarBeaRepeal says:
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            PS it is the author of off-topic or foul comments that get their own comments deleted. Accept responsibility for your actions, whiner.

          • March 27, 2018 at 8:05 am
            confused says:
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            I can’t get banned AGAIN as I’ve never even been banned once

          • March 27, 2018 at 12:22 pm
            helpingout says:
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            Funny Agent,
            Can I say that you are uninformed because you have a different opinion? Well yes, but the root of the issue is perspective on the issue same like confused.
            Also Polar why do you keep up the notion confused was banned? It has not and has never been true. Where is your notion coming from? Personal Opinion – not a fact
            Do you work for IJ – I do not believe this due to your hatred for liberal sites such as this that you claim.

      • March 26, 2018 at 4:18 pm
        Captain Planet says:
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        Agent, why don’t you describe what that lazy person looks like to you. Dog whistle much?

        MARCH 14, 2018 AT 11:28 AM
        Craig Cornell says:
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        I can’t figure out if you are ignorant or just dishonest. Both?

        • March 27, 2018 at 3:52 pm
          Jack says:
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          Cap Planet- You insinuating race is involved any time the word lazy is used is in itself racist or is it a dog whistle?

          I think we all know people around us that are lazy, white and black. Why throw race into the mix?

          • March 27, 2018 at 9:02 pm
            helpingout says:
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            I highly disagree with you Jack. If you bring race into it personally then it is you who has a slight racism. I say this because laziness is a human trait that can be exhibited in anyone (any race).

    • March 26, 2018 at 9:22 pm
      PolarBeaRepeal says:
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      Lou; ACA will eventually be repealed through legislation, and the impacts on WC will end.

      • March 27, 2018 at 8:04 am
        rocco says:
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        we’re all still waiting for all of that inside information you have to come into fruition. You obviously have some sources the rest of us are not privy to.

        • March 27, 2018 at 8:24 am
          PolarBeaRepeal says:
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          That is correct. I know the authors of the scheme being considered piecemeal by some in Congress. Once RINOs are purged, it may come to fruition, in piecemeal fashion. Until then, keep waiting and try to decipher HEALTH CARE SPPECIFICCS.

          • March 27, 2018 at 1:44 pm
            Captain Planet says:
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            MARCH 23, 2018 AT 9:36 AM
            DNCs Coll(F)usion GPShip Strzok an IceberGowdy says:
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            Hearsay isn’t admissible…I predict another crash & burn…

    • April 2, 2018 at 7:28 am
      PolarBeaRepeal says:
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      @Lou; when, why, and how long do you project an uptrend? I see a flattening off as a reasonable projection, but I am open to discussing a reverse of the current downward slide in frequency (which is primarily due to improvements in safety mechanisms and methods). Why wouldn’t ongoing improvements in safety mechanisms offset any other external or internal influences on frequency; e.g. abatement of ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION?

      When you dissect this authors’ theory, it condenses to ‘(illegal) immigrant influxes have a positive impact on frequency of WC claims’. THAT is nonsense, assuming the widely accepted premise that experienced, trained workers are less likely to be injured at work than entry-level and non-skilled labor. Consider also the trades that attract most ILLEGAL immigrants; farming, construction, landscaping, and domestic services. ALL of those are more highly exposed to back and RepMo injury than other trades.

  • March 26, 2018 at 3:13 pm
    sonny walker says:
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    Sure sounds like a Trump hater. You were wrong several years ago when you supported national healthcare and wrong again about President Trump. Your being part of the swamp explains your stance.

    • March 27, 2018 at 11:59 am
      Agent says:
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      sonny, very good post. Three sentences hit the nail on the head.

    • April 2, 2018 at 1:42 pm
      Captain Planet says:
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      Do you mean Andrew sounds like a Tramp hater? I think he is being objective in his article.

  • March 27, 2018 at 8:20 am
    Old Guy says:
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    And in other news today….

  • April 2, 2018 at 1:51 pm
    Don Roberto says:
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    Various trends (e.g., automation/AI) make the future hard to predict, but the article is thought provoking. One thing I’d like to mention beyond immigration policy is our anti-child mentality (now over 50 years old) that is leading to a reduction in native born population. If you’re a boomer, you’d better save a little extra for retirement. It’ll be more expensive than it would have been if there were more kids heading into the labor force.

  • April 2, 2018 at 4:33 pm
    RICHARD says:
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    I skimmed the whole article and cannot see how this should be thought of as “Trump’s” policies. Obamacare is what caused the cost of insurance and deductibles for consumers to go up to UNAFFORDABLE dollar amounts. Just because subsidies pay for the insurance for those that don’t work or are on the lower income end of the spectrum does not mean that it was ever right.
    Some of what he suggests may come to pass – time will tell. Until then, getting completely rid of Obamacare and back to underwritten health insurance with coverage options to choose from will greatly benefit consumers and probably therefore keep many of the claims in the medical insurance side of the industry and out of the work comp side. there will probably be some type of “pool” for those that are uninsurable and medicaid for those that cannot afford any plan.
    All in all if the conventional health insurance came back to a competitive status and people could afford those choices in coverage, the work comp system should not see an increase of crossover claims but rather a reduction.

  • April 6, 2018 at 2:10 pm
    Nebraskan says:
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    You know what hasn’t become unaffordable? Whatever heart pills the Baby Boomers need to keep their nasty tickers ticking.

    When are they going to retire? Never. They can’t afford to retire, because of who they keep voting into office (think beyond the executive branch, boys), and they’ll keep living because the statins are free on any given plan.

    Work Comp will probably be repealed by a 146 year old Baby Boomer who got his first job in a union, but now hates them because Fox News told him to.



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