Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Michael MolineFebruary 8, 2017

The chairman of a key House subcommittee said Wednesday that legislation to address rising worker’s compensation premiums will include curbs on attorney fees, “the biggest driver of the premiums.” Danny Burgess, chairman of the Insurance & Banking Subcommittee, spoke following a hearing into a raft of possible solutions to escalating worker’s compensation premiums. Also on […]

Michael MolineFebruary 2, 2017

With the Legislature poised to confront major challenges to Florida’s insurance industry and the businesses and consumers who rely on it, the Florida Chamber of Commerce will convene in Miami Thursday to map out possible solutions. On the agenda are mandatory personal-injury protection, or PIP, coverage for motorists; abuse of assignment-of-benefits agreements in property insurance; […]

Michael MolineJanuary 31, 2017

The Associated Press, Florida Press Association, and Florida First Amendment Foundation have entered the legal battle over whether the state’s Sunshine Law covered the organization behind the state’s workers’ compensation premium increase. In a friend-of-the-court brief, the three accused the National Council on Compensation Insurance, or NCCI, of employing “an evasive device” to get around […]

Michael MolineJanuary 27, 2017

The group behind a 14.5 percent workers’ compensation premium can’t get around Florida’s Sunshine Law by arguing that a single individual worked on the matter, and not a full-fledged internal committee, an appellate brief argues. The law holds that meetings by such committees at rating organizations like the National Council on Compensation Insurance, or NCCI, […]

Michael MolineJanuary 25, 2017

Employee dissatisfaction with Florida’s workers’ compensation system emerged as an issue during a House committee hearing Wednesday, amid suggestions they deserve more choice over their treating physicians. Rep. George Moraitis Jr. recalled a meeting with firefighters who complained of their medical treatment under the system. “We really need to have a solution that helps the […]

Guest AuthorJanuary 23, 2017

It’s no secret to lawmakers, business owners and workers throughout the state that Florida’s workers’ compensation system is in need of reform. With the recent unnecessary rate hike in premiums for workers’ comp insurance, the state’s economy will suffer along with the looming potential for job loss. Recent coverage of the workers’ comp system has […]

Michael MolineJanuary 17, 2017

An intermediate state appeals court refused Monday to let a workers’ compensation claimant introduce a second medical opinion, in a case testing an evidence code provision the Legislature adopted in 2013. Baricko v. Barnett Transportation Inc. turned on the applicability of the Daubert evidentiary standard. The Florida Supreme Court heard arguments in September about whether […]

Michael MolineJanuary 13, 2017

Despite broad consternation over rising workers’ compensation insurance rates, Florida’s market is relatively stable and competitive, according to an analysis released Friday by the Office of Insurance Regulation. The market “is served by a large number of independent insurers and none of the insurers have sufficient market share to exercise any meaningful control over the […]

Michael MolineJanuary 12, 2017

State regulators and an organization that proposes workers’ compensation coverage rates in Florida defended themselves in pleadings to a state appeals court this week, seeking to overturn a lower court ruling that they had violated open-government laws. Attorneys for the National Council on Compensation Insurance, or NCCI, submitted their arguments in a brief filed Wednesday with […]

Michael MolineJanuary 5, 2017

How confident are stakeholders that Florida’s workers’ compensation system strikes the right balance between protecting injured workers while keeping costs under control? Not very, according to a survey released this week by the Division of Workers’ Compensation. Nearly 66 percent disagreed or strongly disagreed that the system strikes the right balance. At nearly 40 percent, […]

Tag: workers compensation

House panel homes in on attorney fees for workers’ compensation fix

Florida Chamber hosting summit in Miami to take on state’s insurance woes

Press organizations file brief in workers’ compensation rate hike appeal

NCCI, state insurance office can’t evade Sunshine Law, brief argues

Workers’ compensation debate turns to employees’ point of view

Richard Chait: Reform workers’ comp to protect Florida’s businesses and workers

1st DCA rejects challenge to evidence standard in workers’ comp case

Insurance office finds workers’ compensation market stable, competitive

Ratings agency warns in brief against ‘dramatic expansion’ of Sunshine Law

Survey finds dissatisfaction with Florida’s workers’ compensation system