Workers’ Compensation

The other day, I was standing in line at my local pharmacy waiting for my Sweetie to get the usual run around by Worker’s State Comp (not the pharmacy) about her monthly meds.

I also found another woman in line that was going through the same ‘knock down, drag out fight’ in order to get her meds, and not because of poor pharmacy service, either.

It makes me wonder if these required insurance companies really care about customers or not; and I’ll bet the answer is not.

I think that having a compensation fund for workers who are injured or killed on the job is a good idea; however, I wonder if it’s worth all of the hassles one has to put up with.

To begin with, it’s called a State Compensation Insurance Fund and it’s mandatory for all businesses to have for those undesirable, bad moments that happen during working hours.

There are a few things that I don’t like about this ‘fund’, yet it’s a good insurance plan to have if you’re a business owner.

What I don’t like is that it’s a ‘State’ fund which brings politics into the picture, which means government is involved, which brings to mind a socialist backed connection.

What’s wrong with a good socialist backed movement, you ask.

Loss of freedom is the first thing that comes to my mind, unless you know a good socialist country that has the same freedoms that we have or greater freedoms than us.

Another thing that I don’t like about this ‘fund’ is that it involves insurance companies, and insurance companies are in business to take your money and place it in their coffers.

The problem that I have with insurance companies is that in order to get what’s coming to you as the beneficiary, you generally have to go to court and fight for what’s already yours.

I don’t want to forget another great reason for my dislike with a ‘State’ fund, and that is lawyer involvement.

Don’t misunderstand my dislike of lawyers, because there are some good lawyers out there who help people get what’s coming to them.

It’s too bad that there are a lot of lawyers who don’t assist with the good foundation that has already been laid, for they only cause division to a perfectly good system.

I bet someone is going to tell me that I need to work for a law firm and then I wouldn’t be so disgruntled with these lawyers perfecting a quasi-legal system to make it better.

For you information, I know many good attorneys who practice law and do a good job for the system, and yes I have worked for a great multifaceted law firm, and I loved it.

No, I wasn’t some janitor as many may want to declare; so pha-a-at-t-t.

The legal system was set up as cornerstone by the ‘Founding Fathers’ for we citizens to be able live with every freedom possible and enjoy life to the fullest.

That is until many of the people become complacent (as the case always seems to be), and the enemy walks in and takes charge.

But what does all of this have to do with the Workers’ Compensation Fund?

To begin with, this State Fund is a “self-supporting, non-profit enterprise that provides compensation insurance to employers at cost with no financial obligation to the public.”

This is not my quote; it belongs to State Comp through their propaganda literature.

So if you get hurt on the job, who really suffers in the long run?

You, the employee does, because it’s a compensation insurance fund that’s hard to truly collect from.

‘Oh no it’s not’, you say, ‘because I got compensated when I got hurt on the job.’

Sure you did, and you went back to work, since it wasn’t a permanent disability.

Be one of the few who are permanently disabled from an injury at work, and you’ll have fun trying to collect your full benefits without first going to court.

Do you then get your benefits?

No, not necessarily so, since “their doctor” is the “only qualified doctor”, and according to them, they’re never wrong in their diagnosis.

I’m told that you constantly battle with your State Compensation Board’s agent for your pain meds even if you do go to court and win your case.

You’re told that your meds are ready and you go to your local pharmacy to pick up your meds all to find that State Comp wants you to pay for them.

This State Comp game makes quick enemies between you and your local pharmacist.

I guess State Comp thinks that since you’re getting a monthly check too, you should use that to pay for your meds and live on the street and sleep under a bridge somewhere.

I’m told that your State Comp Board will try and make you go back to work even if you’re not able to do some of the simplest of jobs, which aren’t really that simple.

This is their co-out for not keeping their part of the court order, because they think there’s jobs our there that don’t require any physical movement like standing or sitting.

What employer will hire someone to just sit around and do nothing or visit friends all day and get paid for it?

Oops! I forgot that there are some jobs like that aren’t there?

It’s said that ‘State Comp employees provide full services for employers and their injured workers to keep the insurance cost down.’

My question and I’m sure it’s the same question for all of the permanently injured, is at whose expense is this ‘cost to be kept down’ for?

Is this cost kept down for State Comp to get richer, for the employer to pay more, or for the lack of benefits for the permanently injured employee?

Never, under any circumstance, have State Comp adjust, change, or update anything for you, because their incompetence will stick it to you and your account.

I’m not the injured one, but I am the one who questions the fairness for the less fortunate.