Workers' Compensation Discussion Forums

Thanks...curious about your opinions.

i don't think there is much need. 3rd health insurance fits with the U.S.s dysfunctional private health system.
I hoping it'll die off here once we get coordinated single payer system.

Becky: I would like to understand. I agree with single payer system. As workers comp is an insurance do you think it will fall under Federal regulations for consistency. Will states fold it into the Health care system. Will it then be adminstered by private companies or a Federal Bureaucracy. If one stretches the brain, we are talking health care and employee benefits such as pensions or 401K. It could get quite complicated. Not like it isn't )

I worked for a state agency and states have a hard time keeping control when I think of Federal control I don't have a feeling of much security. I am an accountant and I think of the IRS and tax regulation. The magnitude of control and maintenance of the benefit could get even scarier; slowed down; more bureaucratic. What do you think on this vein. Thanks for your response. I really appreciate. I love future trend analysis. We definitely need tinkering but it boggles one's mind ...the evolution process and how it would happen.
Plus the politics and the insurance companies....etc.
Whew!!!
Becky in Ohio

workers comp is "gap" insurance-it fills the gap between private and public (medicare medicaid, etc.)
If the gap is closed the health portion of workers comp is reduced or eliminated. It then becomes primarily a disability system and is ripe for merging with unemployment and other public/private disability systems.
I'm not saying it merges or is taken over by federal gov't; i believe comp will be unnecessary e.g. it won't matter whether the need for treatment is due to an on-the-job or an off the job injury.
I don't have a detailed plan for how a single payer system can be best implimented in the US; I believe that's for the political process to work out.

In the single payer system who do you think falls into that category?
Healthcare, disability, workers compensation, unemployment, FMLA, Social Security,
I assume Federal, correct. What would you have the Federal administer under a single payer system. Would anything be relegated to states? Or some non-profit agency?

Thanks.

When do you anticipate this happening. Always curious. Thanks

We sure ask a lot of the Federal Government.

it probably works best if it's an all or nothing operation e.g. you're in or you're not.
probably obama's second term.

US workers are already covered under their businesses home state comp system if injured at work while abroad. Is that what you mean ?

Having come from a health care system in the United Kingdom, I know that though there is an issue about job placed accidents and injuries, there has never been an issue about being treated. What they do cover, however, is your pay whilst you are on leave. You continue to receive your wages at the rate you were earning when the accident happened and then if the injury is still taking you off work for a longer period of time, your rates of pay goes down. But when that happens you are qualified to apply for benefits to help you out. I had an injury at work in the UK and even had my credit card payments taken care of because of the type of banking I had. They actually erase your debt after a period of time. Having said all of that, I don't believe that workmans comp has any place in that type of health care system.You are taken care of regardless of what type of illness or injury you have.

never happen...even Obama said we would keep our insurance companies if people wanted to pay there own... the national health system would be most likely be like a state car insurance program where everyone else would be dumped into a medicade system......depending on how they pay,,when you will be seen....Have spoke to my PCP about it...we are all already in a system in their computers telling what insurance we have...each Doc to stay in regulation must see so many in each tier...private,private with secondary,medicade,medicare and private pay guess where national health will fall?.....so you will get to see a doc but with private with secondary it can take up to 3 weeks to get an appt ...............A child can get one sameday if its sick(not well baby)...the only way it will work is if it is one system for all...then rhe rich are gonna have all the good docs rapped up and the rest of us will get dregs......As my PCP so bluntly put it...who is gonna go to school for an extra 8-12 years rack up tremendous collage loans and get paid 10 dollars a patient?Our Docs will just go to large citys and belong to the very rich....the rest of us will be in a cattle call with 15 -20 patients an hour being pushed thru....why do you think so many docs come here from other countries? they want to be paid enough to pay off collage loans and make a living.....

There are many Countries that have a Workmens' Compensation system in affect still to this date.

I do know this. Any Doctor, or any Medical Organization, can freely pick and chose which and what Insurance Carriers they wish to accept.

A doctor working freely on their own, can sign up with whatever Insurance carrier they wish. But, also when they do, the doctor agrees to the Insurance Carriers Scheduled Medical Fee and Billing Agreements. Co-pays, and discounts will apply.

Any doctor if they wish, doesn't have to accept Medicare, or Medicade. It's a free choice of the Doctor or the Medical Organization. But, if any Office is doing well income wise, they will mostly choose to accept and sign up for Medicare and Medicade once things start going well for them.

I do know many that will now take Medicare, but won't sign up or take Medicade.

This is something even a President can't change.