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In the news this week, insurance experts commented on proposed legislation by California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones regarding self insured plans for small employers. The Self-Insurance Industry Institute of America defines self insurance:

Self-Insurance (also referred to as self-funding) is an alternative risk transfer strategy used by tens of thousands of employers across the country to finance their group health care and Workers’ Compensation liabilities. Self-Insurance has become an increasingly attractive option for many employers due to the rising costs associated with health care and Workers’ Compensation commercial insurance.

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Stop loss contracting expert witness Stephen C. George, MBA-HA, President of Provider Risk, explains “stop loss”:

Stop loss is an insurance which provides reimbursement for catastrophic medical claims incurred by a self-funded employer’s employee or by a capitated HMO member. There are two primary types of medical stop loss – employer stop loss and provider stop loss (provider excess loss).

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Risk management expert witness Stephen C. George, MBA-HA, President of Provider Risk, explains “capitation”:

A capitation is a fixed dollar amount per plan member per month paid to providers regardless of medical utilization. The payment structure shifts the financial risk from the insurance company to the physician or hospital accepting payment. Physicians and hospitals buy stop loss to limit any potential catastrophic medical financial loss on any one member per year.

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Trucking expert witnesses may provide reports regarding the Department of Transportation federal motor carrier safety regulations, trucking drug and alcohol regulations, and correlated issues. In the news this week, the US Senate passed a two-year, $109B bill to fund the nation’s highways and public transit system. Provisions include a drug and alcohol testing clearinghouse for truck drivers, truck crash-worthiness standards, and $2B a year for a national freight program. American Trucking Associations President and CEO Bill Graves encouraged the house to also approve the long term highway bill.

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Transportation engineering expert witnesses testified this week on a bill to legalize red light enforcement cameras in Connecticut. Dr. John Large, professor at the University of South Florida, is an expert in industrial engineering and testified for the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut regarding the bill that would place cameras to catch traffic violators.

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Law enforcement expert witnesses testified this week in the wrongful death civil trial against Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech was found guilty of negligence for waiting to warn students about a gunman during a 2007 mass shooting that resulted in 33 deaths. Parents of two students charged that that the campus security was slow to respond.