Monthly Archives: <span>January 2008</span>

Texas Medical and Hospital Fee Guideline Rules Updated

Texas Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation Albert Betts signed rules to update a medical fee guideline for health care providers, to establish a hospital outpatient fee guideline and to update a hospital inpatient fee guideline for the Texas workers’ compensation system, …

Texas AG: Health Services Provider Exposed Customers to ID Theft

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott filed court documents alleging Select Physical Therapy Texas Limited Partnership and its parent company, Select Medical Corporation, for systematically exposing their customers to identity theft risk, the AG’s office reported. According to documents filed by …

Judge Sanctions Texas Mutual, Company Will Appeal Decision

Texas Mutual Insurance Company says it respectfully but strongly disagrees with the sanctions against it ordered by Dallas Judge Martin Hoffman on Jan. 9, 2008, in the case of Texas Mutual v. Juan Narvaez. The company says it is immediately …

Ohio Deputy Director Ising to Retire Feb. 1

Ohio Department of Insurance Director Mary Jo Hudson recently announced the retirement of Peg Ising, who has served as the Department’s Deputy director since May 2006. According to Hudson, Ising is a seasoned employee who has served in several leadership …

Peter Kestenbaum Joins Colemont’s Atlanta Office

Colemont Insurance Brokers, headquartered in Dallas, hired Peter Kestenbaum as assistant vice president and business development manager of the company’s Atlanta office. Prior to joining Colemont, Kestenbaum served as an executive manager and partner for AmPac Carolina Lending, and as …

Attorneys Say N.D. Whistleblowers Have to Protect Themselves

North Dakota’s whistleblower law, intended to prevent retaliation against employees who report alleged wrongdoing in the workplace, instead puts the burden on workers to protect themselves, lawyers say. “These laws are intended to encourage public employees to report violations of …

Minn. Counties Test Blow-in-Tube Devises for Drunken Driver Offenders

Repeat drunken drivers in two Minnesota counties can get back behind the wheel sooner if they pay to have blow-in-the-tube devices installed in their vehicles. So far, results in the two pilot programs are mixed. County officials say there’s no …

Workers’ Comp Writer Employers Holdings to Acquire AmCOMP

Employers Holdings, Inc. of Reno, Nev., reports it has agreed to acquire AmCOMP Inc. for approximately $230 million, including the assumption of $37 million in debt. The acquisition will expand Employers’ workers’ compensation insurance operations to a total of 26 …

Kan. Report: Traffic Deaths Hit 15-year Low

State officials say the traffic death count in Kansas has hit a 15-year low. The Kansas Department of Transportation says 404 people died in Kansas crashes in 2007, down 13 percent from 468 fatalities in 2006. KDOT traffic safety chief …

Tenn. Supreme Court to Decide Alcoa Asbestos Suit

The Tennessee Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a case that will decide whether Alcoa Inc. is responsible for the asbestos-related death of a former worker’s daughter. The Pittsburgh-based company argues that it should not be held responsible for Amanda …