Date
Page 1
June 5, 2018
WVSIA (dba) The West Virginia Workers’ Compensation Association is pleased to announce its 2018 Annual Educational Conference Agenda for September 26-27, 2018 at the Charleston Embassy Suites Hotel.
Since W.Va.’s transition to a competitive, private,workers’ compensation insurance market, W.Va. businesses have enjoyed a competitive business climate with an effective and affordable Workers’ Compensation law. Significantly, thanks to a strong business coalition lead by WVSIA, all employers will enjoy further significant cost reductions resulting from the passage of House Bill 4628, which terminates all surchargeson employers for the statutory Debt Reduction Fund as of December 31, 2018. The self-insured employer community will avoid yearlysurcharges of nine milliondollars.
Additionally, the Legislature passed comprehensive legislation addressing opioid prescribing and related treatment and was very close also to enacting a bill creating a new intermediate court of appeals and terminating the Workers’ Compensation Board of Review. This new court proposal is expected to brought up again in 2019 regular session of the W.Va. Legislature next January.Board of Review chairperson, Rita Hedrick-Helmick will provide an overview of the appellate body’s statutory purposes and procedures.
In addition to presentations on these legislative issues and goals, our program includes review of the W.Va. workers’ compensationinsurance market and the self-insurers security pools by Insurance Commissioner, Allan McVey, and a regulatory compliance update by the Insurance Commissioner’s General Counsel, Erin Hunter.
Claims management challenges remain and increasingly return to work is impacted by the vexing mental health issue of post-traumaticstress diagnoses. A well-known W.Va. mental health expert, Dr. DavidClayman, will share insights about the proper diagnosis of and case management for this serious issue, and we will also hear from Dr. James Becker, Marshall University (former medical director for the Insurance Commissioner) about the opioid legislation and other related cost drivers in workers’ compensationmedical treatment
Finally, our program will include review of significant Supreme Court decisions and our legal panel will reflect on whether the W.Va. judicial system is now broadly in the mainstream of Workers’ Compensation jurisprudence?The 2018 WVSIA brings together highly competent experts in the legal, medical and government regulatory fields. The 2018 Annual Conference program will benefitall employers and workers’ compensation service providers.
We hope you will join us on September 26-27, 2018. Registration information is available on our website.
Sincerely,
Henry C. Bowen
Executive Secretary
WVSIA 2018 Annual Conference
September 26-27, 2018
September 26, 2018
4:00-5:00 p.m.WVSIA Annual Business and Board of Managers’ Meeting
Jackson Kelly PLLC, 16th Floor Laidley Tower
5:30– 7:00 p.m.Conference Reception- Embassy Suites Hotel
September 27, 2018
8:00-8:45 a.m.Registration and Exhibit Visitation
8:45-9:00 a.m.General Session Opening Remarks
Henry C. Bowen, Executive Secretary, WVSIA
9:00-9:30 a.m.The 2018 Legislative Session
Timothy Huffman, Jackson Kelly, PLLC
9:30-10:00 a.m.Regulatory Update on WV Workers’ Compensation Market
Erin Hunter, General Counsel, WV OIC
10:00-10:20 a.m.Break and Exhibit Visitation
10:20-11:20 a.m.A Workers’ Compensation Claim Challenge – Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome: How Can We Manage?
Dr. David Clayman
11:20-11:50 a.m.WV Workers’ Compensation Market
Old Fund Debt Reduction and Self-Insurance Security Pools
Hon.Allan McVay, WV Insurance Commissioner
12:00-1:15 p.m.Buffett Luncheon and Exhibit Visitation
1:15–2:15 p.m. Opioid Prescription Limitations-How Will the Comprehensive 2018 Legislation Impact This and Other Related Medical Treatment
Dr. James Becker, Marshall University School of Medicine
2:15-2:45 p.m.Workers’ Compensation Review Process – Role of the Board of Review
Hon. Rita Hedrick-Helmick, Chairperson
2:45-3:00 p.m.Break and Exhibit Visitation
3:00-3:45 p.m.Update on Workers’ Compensation Litigation
Jeffrey Brannon, Cipriani & Warner, PLLC
James “Mac” Heslep, Jenkins Fenstermaker, PLLC
3:45-4:00 p.m.Conference Closing, Door Prize Drawing & Adjournment
Janice F. Bowen, Conference Facilitator