Author: completebodyneeds

The California Department of Industrial Relations swore in Nicole Richardson as administrative director of the Division of Workers’ Compensation on Sept. 1, following her appointment by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Richardson previously served as DWC’s acting administrative director and chief counsel. As administrative director, Richardson will continue to oversee DWC’s statewide operations, programs and services,. Richardson has more than 20 years of experience in California’s workers’ compensation system. She joined DWC as staff counsel in 2017 and advanced through several leadership positions within the division’s legal unit, including staff counsel and chief counsel. Earlier this year, she was named acting administrative…

A drug maker is paying $32 million to settle allegations it violated kickback laws by paying Medicare beneficiary co-pays to encourage the buying of its drug, Oxervate. Dompé U.S. Inc., based in California, has agreed to settle the allegations that between 2018 and 2021 it paid Medicare beneficiary co-pays through two patient assistance foundations to induce the purchase of Oxervate, which is a violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute and the False Claims Act, according to the U.S. Department of Jusitice. Medicare beneficiaries who obtain prescriptions covered by Medicare may be required to make a copay. The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits drug…

Ascot announced a series of changes to its U.S. operating and distribution model, including a new U.S. regional executive leadership team, an expanded North America distribution role and the consolidation of seven U.S. business segments into five product verticals. These updates will align underwriting expertise and regional leadership more closely around the exposures, geographies and client segments Ascot serves.The appointments and new operating structure will take effect October 1. Ascot’s new U.S. Regional Executive Leadership team will coordinate local market execution and key insured relationships across the Northeast, Southeast, Central and West. The model will support Ascot’s continued growth by…

When Georgia’s tort-reform law was approved in 2025 property/casualty insurance interests hailed it as a long-awaited measure that would help stem lawsuit abuse and excessive jury awards in the state. But in the first appellate court test of the law, the Georgia Court of Appeals last week threw a wrench into the meaning and intent of the statute, allowing testimony about the extent of an injury during the first phase of a lawsuit trial. “I do believe this is contrary to the intent of the law. This is not what we expected on the defense side when the reforms came…

In the early 2000s, Britain had as many as 10 young workers for every person over-65 with a job. Today there are just two, as older employees hang on for longer and first jobs are harder to come by. The number of Britons aged 65 and over in work topped 1.7 million earlier this year, according to the latest Office for National Statistics figures. Longer life expectancy and better health are delaying retirement, while cost-of-living pressures have also convinced people from the baby-boomer generation to stay on the payroll a little longer. Employment rates for the group — many of…

The US Environmental Protection Agency is expected to formally rescind carbon pollution standards for fossil fuel-fired power plants as soon as Monday, according to people familiar with the matter. The Trump administration’s latest major climate rollback is expected to come on the sidelines of a Group of 20 energy ministers’ meeting in Houston, said the people, who asked not to be named because the details aren’t yet public. Earlier this year, the EPA rescinded similar climate standards for vehicles and the 2009 endangerment finding, a landmark ruling which held that greenhouse gases threaten human health. Under Trump, the EPA first…

President Donald Trump said on Sept. 14 that the U.S. already has guardrails in place to regulate and prosecute AI companies, appearing to play down concerns expressed by industry leaders over the weekend about misuse of artificial intelligence. “The only control or ‘guardrails’ that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A. has that, in spades!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that China would benefit from the doubt being cast on artificial intelligence development. “We already have tremendous CRIMINAL and REGULATORY power over these companies! There is a SICK conspiracy going on against AI…

Data centers in the United States will consume more natural gas than most countries within a decade, according to a new outlook from BloombergNEF. Gas consumption to produce electricity for data centers is expected to grow by 15 billion cubic feet per day in the ten years to 2035, even accounting for many currently planned projects never being built, BloombergNEF said. That’s more gas than is currently consumed by all nations except China, Russia, Iran and the US itself, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration. It’s also more than double BloombergNEF’s previous forecast in December of 6.9…

Zurich U.S. announced on Sept. 11 that Alex Wells has been selected to serve as CEO of Zurich U.S., taking over for Sierra Signorelli, who stepped down. The promotion is effective immediately. Alex Wells Wells was president of Zurich U.S. middle market, programs, captives, and direct markets for the last six years. In a corresponding moves, Zurich U.S. on Sept. 14 said John Diaz was appointed to Wells’ former role, effective immediately. Wells has more than 25 years experience as a commercial executive. He earlier held senior leadership roles at Chubb and Ace. Zurich said Wells, since joining Zurich in…

The Atlantic is quiet — record quiet — this hurricane season thanks to an enormous El Nino that crushes storms before they get going. No Atlantic hurricanes have formed yet this year and none are likely to form for at least another week, even though this would normally be the peak of the season, according to the National Hurricane Center. Only five relatively weak and brief tropical storms have spun up this season. On Saturday, 2026 set a record for the longest a season has begun without a storm that has reached winds of 74 mph (119 kph) to qualify…