SACRAMENTO – Injured workers and their advocates, labor, consumer and medical leaders today opposed the insurance industry"s unprecedented proposal to increase workers compensation premiums by 23%. At a news conference preceding a hearing to examine insurance companies" claims of increased "medical costs," the advocates said the insurance industry has misleadingly labeled the costs of denying and delaying medical care as "medical costs." The insurance industry"s own data show that "cost controls" and "medical-legal" expenses doubled in recent years, while payments to physicians dropped by 40% from 2003 to 2007... read more

SAN FRANCISCO – California Applicants' Attorneys Association (CAAA) President Todd McFarren, whose members represent Californians injured at work, today opposed the insurance industry's proposal to increase workers compensation premiums by 24%. At a hearing called by the California Insurance Commissioner, McFarren noted that insurance premium rates continued to decline through the end of 2008, dropping to $2.25 per $100 of payroll. "This is the lowest rate in several decades, and is down over 65% from its peak of $6.45 at the end of 2003," said McFarren. ... read more

You heard almost nothing about it during the campaign, but workers' compensation -- the very contentious system that deals with job-related illnesses and injuries -- was a powerful factor in the duel between Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his Democratic challenger, Phil Angelides. ... read more

SACRAMENTO – Advocates for injured workers today said they would continue to press their fight challenging the Schwarzenegger Administration’s deep cuts in injured workers’ permanent disability compensation. The advocates for Californians injured on the job responded to a Workers Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) decision last week. ... read more

New rules are proposed to penalize insurers that unfairly delay or deny medical treatment.
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration is preparing to punish insurance companies that wrongly delay or deny medical care for workers hurt on the job. ... read more

Garamendi: “My recommendation for the past two years has been for the State Fund to more aggressively price—or reduce their prices—and thereby create more serious price competition”
John Garamendi’s days as California’s insurance commissioner are winding down.. ... read more

SACRAMENTO — Two years after California overhauled its workers'
compensation program, costs paid by employers have been sliced in half and profits for insurers have soared ...read more

SUCCESS” FOR WHOM? TWO-YEAR EVALUATION OF GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER’S WORKERS COMP. LAW Medical & Legal Experts, Injured Workers Rate Governor...read more