How Do California Reforms Affect Cost, Access, and Quality of Medical Care In Workers’ Compensation

Powerpoints and transcript of presentations made during Session III, “How Do California Reforms Affect Cost, Access, and Quality of Medical Care in Workers’ Compensation?” at the NASI symposium, Health and Income Security for Injured Workers: Key Policy Issues, October 12-13, 2006 in Washington, DC.

Moderator: Jay S. Himmelstein, M.D., MPH, Director, Center for Health Policy and Research, University of Massachusetts Medical School

Overview: The California Problems and Reforms

Barbara Wynn, Senior Health Policy Researcher, RAND

Initial Impacts on Costs and Access to Health Care

Michael Nolan, President, California Workers’ Compensation Institute

Assessing Effects on Quality of Care

Teryl Nuckols Scott, M.D., MSHS, Health Services Researcher, RAND

Panelists:

Bernyce Peplowski, M.D., Medical Director, Zenith Insurance Company

Doug Kim, Legislative Advocate, Green & Azevedo

Tom Rankin, Past President, California Labor Federation and Visiting Scholar, Institute for Industrial Relations, University of California, Berkeley