| Author | Subject: Democratic Caucus, Part II |
| Kay | Posted At 22:04:28 05/11/2000
The link I put up on the previous post didn't go live, so here's the article from the Stateman. TESTIMONY: Gary Cupp, a fire department paramedic for 11 years until a back injury, testifies before a panel of Democratic lawmakers Wednesday during a hearing to learn firsthand of worker grievances about workers’ compensation insurance. RON COOPER / Statesman Journal State insurance reforms sought A panel hears of workers’ compensation woes. STEVE LAW, Statesman Journal Former city firefighter Gary Cupp says he always figured he’d be taken care of if he got injured on the job. “Boy was I wrong,” the Stayton resident told a panel of Democratic lawmakers Wednesday. “And now I’m not ever able to be a firefighter again.” Workers’ compensation insurance, dubbed “the Bosnia of Oregon politics” by Gov. John Kitzhaber, took center stage this week. Kitzhaber is getting ready to release proposed workers’ compensation reforms worked out by a secret delegation of labor and management representatives. Wednesday, Democrats assembled an informal hearing to learn firsthand of worker grievances about the system. Cupp was one of more than 20 injured workers sharing their experiences. They complained about having to pay their own medical costs, being denied disability payments, and being stalled for months while fighting doctors, lawyers and insurance companies. Cupp said he couldn’t make his child support payments. Judy John of Mehama, denied coverage for hand surgery, said she turned to food banks to feed her family. “It’s just clear listening to these people that this is taking a huge toll. People are left with no recourse,” said Rep. Diane Rosenbaum, D-Portland, who led the informal hearing. Since a landmark series of reforms starting in 1990, Oregon’s workers’ compensation system has reduced costs for employers by billions of dollars. At the same time, workplace accidents have dropped while benefits for those workers with successful claims have risen. Yet the reforms have succeeded partly by making it harder to win claims, and many injured workers have complained they are falling through the cracks. Especially troublesome for many is a requirement that 51 percent of an injury must stem from the recent accident and not from a pre-existing condition. That has allowed insurers to reject many claims from older workers, who often are left without their livelihood. That was a factor in the cases of Cupp and John. Cupp, 44, was a fire department paramedic for 11 years until his back wore out from repeated injuries. Ironically, his ailments stemmed from lifting other citizens with injuries. John helped install window locks in Stayton. Her request for medical coverage for hand surgery was turned down, she said. “I’m angry because I’m being punished for doing a job,” said John, growing teary-eyed before lawmakers. “One of the most degrading things I’ve done is I’ve had to go to welfare to eat and feed my family.” Some workers getting denied benefits are demanding the right to sue, but that’s not allowed under the state workers’ compensation system. If they exhaust appeals allowed under the system, no other remedies are available. That may change, though, depending on how the Oregon Supreme Court rules in a case brought by injured worker Terry Smothers. The looming court decision and continuing grievances brought by injured workers prompted Kitzhaber to convene a group of labor and management leaders to hash out changes to the state law. Those would go before the 2001 Legislature. The governor’s staff was not ready to divulge the reforms Wednesday. However, Rosenbaum said they don’t go far enough to help people such as Cupp and John with long-term, repeated health problems. |
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