Calif. Workers' Comp Agreement Reached

[twilight]

<<SACRAMENTO, Calif. April 14 — California's workers' compensation system, the most expensive in the nation, would get a broad overhaul in a deal reached Wednesday between legislators and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Officials said Schwarzenegger succeeded in pushing through two key elements: The bill will not regulate insurance rates, and will allow insurers and employers to select pools of doctors injured workers must use.>>

link ....

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20040414_2562.html#photocap

I found this part at the end of this story particularly interesting ...

<<"I do expect I will vote for it," said Assemblyman Darrell Steinberg, a Sacramento Democrat and one of the party's leading forces.

The deal could be yet another important victory for Schwarzenegger, who quickly rescinded the state's $4 billion car tax after taking office in November and last month persuaded voters to approve $15 billion in borrowing to ease the budget deficit.

"As someone who didn't vote for him, so far so good," said Kam Kuwata, a longtime Democratic strategist. "I wasn't around during Reagan's years but I can't imagine anyone doing any better than this guy.">>

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS LAST SENTENCE? :wtf:



:dem:

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. Yep puts medical care totally under the insurer's control without

making them bring rates down..TOTAL FUCKING SHAM..they did this in the late 80's and made about 500 million windfall profits without really lowering rates significantly then they crept back up.

Fuck Arnold and fuck the idiots who voted for him and fuck the Democrats who are falling for this bullshit again.

[twilight]

2. well ...

If you read the whole article, it says that many injuries, like a back injury won't be covered anymore ...

Too bad Mr. Logger that broke your back hoisting those trees ...

And things like carpal tunnel syndrome, I bet they won't be covered anymore either.

And you are right, they pick the shill doctors.

No one will get a fair shake anymore.

Should the State of Calif. eliminate their Worker's Compensation Appeals Board dare I ask? What service(s) if any will they provide? And, what about the State Compensation Insurance Fund which is technically broke?

What a fine mess indeed.

Thanks for nothing Herr Gropenator!

:dem: :kick:

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. No it covers back injuries

what carriers and employers are eliminating is any compensation for subjective complaints that are not accompanied by specific objective findings. What is WRONG about this is that they also have medical control so they can avoid paying for testing that the applicant may need to get diagnosed...the applicant CAN go get a medical evaluation to discredit the carrier but all of that serves to drag out care and litigation. This stacks the deck against injured workers in a state where they are involved in every labor capacity and in a state that due to defense, agriculture, and every major industry (shipyards with asbestos etc) exposes their employees to over 100 chemicals and substances not present in other states' industries.

We've taken this route before...give the carriers everything they want...don't tie a specific rate reduction to their gains...and get fucked....insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result.

Thh whole system isn't ripe with abuse, although it does indeed exist...on both sides..all you ever hear is theirs....news organizations are employers too, so one doesn't see tons of investigative reports about all the shit the employers pull anymore.

[shanti]

7. SCIF

a quasi state agency. i know someone who works there...they lavish the goodies on their workers, but they really push them. fancy parties, freebies, etc. but they must PRODUCE.

[genius]

4. In other words, workers can expect little or no treatment and no competant

treatment. So if you're a worker and you get injured, your life is over.

[twilight]

5. yeppers

Well you go to the shill doctor that will say that nothing is wrong with you and you continue to work in a decrepit condition getting worse and worse and you have no proof it is related to an on the job injury. So, you have no legal case nor claim against the employer, so yep, you are screwed.

This also takes many legal cases away from worker's compensation attorneys besides qualified doctors that might be able to put the person back to being gainfully employed, etc. How will rehabilitation fit into this picture? If there is no legitimate "case", hence no need for rehabilitation nor the lawyers in many cases.

So, yeah, you are right, the legitimately injured worker is going to find it to be near impossible to receive restitution for his/her injury.

Just another blow to the great Gropenator's empire!!! :grr: :grr:

:dem: :kick:

[Democat]

6. California Democrats lose spine, give Arnold everything

If they didn't, Arnold would just use his corporate buddies to fund an initiative and trick voters into supporting it with millions in ad dollars.

Arnold came into power saying he would fight special interests, unlike Davis. Instead, he has been even more beholden to special interests.

And the California press loves him for it, even though they slammed Davis for the exact same thing.

More right wing media bullshit.