Workers’ Comp Costs Drop for Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County officials on Thursday said the county's workers' compensation costs dropped $61 million from fiscal year 2003-2004 to FY 2005-2006, the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

The county's annual risk-management report found that:

Costs decreased from $324 million in FY 2003-2004 to $263 million in FY 2005-2006; and
Total liability for workers' compensation costs decreased by 35% to $2.4 billion during the same period.

Risk Manager Rocky Armfield said the county has worked to prevent fraud and abuse and has encouraged workers' compensation claimants to come back to work and perform light duties.

Chief Administrative Officer David Janssen said county and state workers' compensation reforms also have contributed to the decline in costs (Anderson, Los Angeles Daily News, 2/8).

County Hires Two Executives

The Los Angeles County health department has appointed two new executives to direct Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and oversee the downsizing of Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Miguel Ortiz-Marroquin, COO of Harbor-UCLA, will become acting CEO of the hospital. He will replace Tecla Mickoseff, who retired Friday.

Sharon Grigsby will manage the transition of King/Drew to Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital. Grigsby is a former executive director of the county's bioterrorism preparedness program and top administrator at other county hospitals (Los Angeles Times, 2/9).

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