Illinois Workmen's Compensation
I have yet to see covered in the news media exactly what provisions in the Workmen's Compensation system makes it burdensome on business or subject to abuse--nor what changes might make it less so. Can anyone fill in the specifics ?
There have been some posts at
There have been some posts at capitolfax.com that provide some insight but I've not seen a concise and itemized list of identified problems. The most glaring issue I've read, however, is that medical fee reimbursement rates to doctors is something like the highest in the country and 3 times the national average. There was also a problem of the program administrators abusing the system to get payouts for themselves and others rather than protecting the interests of the state and its citizens and fairly administering claims as they should have been.
Doctors here in Illinois love
Doctors here in Illinois love Work Comp. I knew a couple of spine surgeons and they would have liked nothing better than to have a 100% Work Comp practice.
It would be interesting to study whether in Illinois one is more likely to end up with a spine operation if the insurance is Work Comp.
So it is true that Work Comp reimbursement is higher.
Would not surprise me what so
Would not surprise me what so ever.
When dealing with worker's comp cases I can tell a significant difference between our primary care doctor... and the doctors they choose when they don't like the primary care doctor's diagnosis. Doctors will cater to the patients wants because that is where the money is. I see the blatant abuse of the system time and time again and it's frustrating when you can do absolutely nothing about it and costing you a pretty penny in the meantime.
I understand the need to protect worker's right and the abuse can easily fall on the other end of the spectrum, but Illinois is pretty ridiculous. When working with our worker's comp management company who serves us nationwide, when dealing with a new claims adjuster I always get the "Oh... you're located in Illinois...." response. Having a system that is so easily abused takes the focus off the needs of workers who really are truly injured on the job.
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