2019 Workers’ Compensation Conference
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Hilton Austin Hotel
500 East 4th Street
Austin, Texas 78701
8 am Registration and Breakfast
9 am Welcome and Opening Remarks – Albert Betts, Jr., Executive Director, ICT
9:10 am Prevention of and Response to an Active Shooter in the Workplace – Jim McBride, Adjunct Instructor, Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security
With increasing workplace violence, employers and employees will learn what a secure workplace looks like, who commits workplace violence, the five stages of a shooter, what is managements’ role, potential triggers to violence and physical characteristics to watch for. Join us and educate yourself and your company on how to stay aware and safe.
9:55 am National & Texas WC Trends – Greg McKenna, SVP/Director of Communication, Gallagher Bassett
This session will provide an overview of national trends in workers’ compensation claims, state regulations, and changes in technology and workplace demographics which may ultimately impact the Texas workers’ compensation system. Learn how these national trends translate into the Texas system or is Texas immune from any of these trends?
10:40 am Networking Break
11:00 am Panel Discussion: Audits & Compliance: Best Practices Do’s and Don’ts
Moderator: Albert Betts, Jr., Executive Director, ICT
Panelists: James Loughlin, Partner, Stone Loughlin & Swanson, L.L.P.,
Diana Johnson, National Compliance Director, Gallagher Bassett,
Debra Knight, Deputy Commissioner Compliance & Investigations, TDI
Despite best efforts to comply with the exhaustive list of workers’ compensation rules, timelines, deadlines, and forms, often times insurers, claims administrators, and others may find themselves not being in compliance with the law or the subject of a DWC audit. This session will help workers’ compensation professionals understand some of the best practices to keep you in compliance and what to do if you receive notice that you may have violated workers’ compensation rules.
12:25 pm Sponsor Prize Drawing/Networking Luncheon
1:25 pm Catastrophic Injury Challenges in Workers Compensation – Dr. Michael Choo, Chief Medical Officer, Paradigm
Thankfully catastrophic claims are infrequent, but when an employee suffers a catastrophic injury, their claims require special care and extra attention, and may require added resources to ensure the claim is handled appropriately. In this session, you’ll learn why catastrophic injuries and claims are important, what carriers, claims administrators, providers, and the others should consider when managing these claims, and why they are often very complicated and cannot be treated as “just another workers’ comp claim”.
2:10 pm Networking Break
2:30 pm Cancer Presumptions & Other Expanding Benefits Changes
Moderator: Stuart Colburn, Attorney, Downs & Stanford, PC
Panelists: Susan Mullins, Account Executive, York Risk Services Group
Brandi Prejean, Attorney, Thornton, Biechlin, Reynolds, & Guerra
Chris Lam, Workers’ Compensation Manager, City of Fort Worth
Nationally, and in Texas, legislatures are increasing the availability of certain benefits to peace officers and other first responders. Earlier this year, the Texas legislature adopted multiple laws changing benefit eligibility and expanded certain presumptions for compensability in cancer claims. If you’re a public employer, this session will help you understand the implications of these changes and how to manage your claims. For private employers, you will get an advance look at these changes and their potential to spread to private sector employees.
3:55 pm Sponsor Prize Drawing
4 pm Closing Remarks
4-5 pm Networking Reception
