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Representative Mack,
I hope that you have talked with injured workers as you have
decided to sponsor the Coalition Bill.
Injured workers as well as employers will be the losers with
this bill. I would ask that as you are
presenting this bill that you consider speaking with some business
owners as well as injured workers.
The insurers always win at the expense of businesses and those
who cannot easily defend themselves,
the injured workers of Florida. When was the last time you
spoke with an injured worker?
The insurers in this state need to look internally before
they accuse others of inflating workers
compensation rates. I am the president of a statewide injured
workers organization, VOICES Inc.,
and I promise you there are some things that you must not be
aware of or you would not be sponsoring
this bill.
On behalf of injured workers I would ask that you reconsider
your position on this bill and get some
feedback from others concerning the ills of the workers compensation
system. Injured workers
have given up all they can afford to.
The real problem is the laws are not enforced and the carriers
are not held accountable for their
mismanagement. They are allowed to starve out the seriously injured.
They are causing the PTD rate
to double because in many cases you have to litigate your benefits
before you can get the needed
medical treatment. For many that treatment comes much too late.
Make no mistake that the carriers
are causing most of the litigation with their denial and delay
tactics. It takes an injured worker an average
of a year before they get an attorney. They only get an attorney
then because they become so
frustrated because they can't get the medical treatment they
need and get back to work.
Also know that the NCCI, which was the only party reporting
on comp statistics at recent
Commissions set up by the Governor, is owned and operated by
insurance companies and their figures
are sometimes skewed to benefit the insurance industry. Also
know that many of their figures
are not based on real numbers, but projections which are never
looked at once the yearly report has
been submitted.
Please give me the opportunity to provide you with more information
from the injured workers point of view as to how this system
could be repaired in such a way that both employers and injured
workers benefit.
If you would like this information I will be glad to meet with
you any time and any place.
I can also send you information upon your request.
As a representative of the people of this state I hope you will
take me up on my offer.
Please spend some time talking with injured workers.
Mary Bailey |
