Deconstructing Comp

Melissa Steger: Hook 'Em and Go Until No!

Send us a textMelissa Steger returns to walk us through the building blocks of the unique Texas UT System workers' compensation program. While the program is self-insured, they use a third-party administrator (TPA) in a hybrid system where the TPA staff sit on-site with the UT System staff who oversee the program. Covering 160,000 employees and over 250,000 students, UT System uses a variable rating system and has set up a culture where the individual institutions within the system compete against one another to achieve superior outcomes. The results? Truly innovative and remarkable. During Melissa's tenure with the WC program, and through a system of healthy competition, they initially saw program costs of eighty cents per $100 dollars of payroll. When Melissa retired last year, it had fallen to 8.5 cents per $100 dollars of payroll. How did this happen? Melissa talks about some of the nuances of their program including an annual retreat, where the hybrid staff come together to improve communications, get focused on core program goals and learn how they could continuously improve their results. Join us as we talk to Melissa and learn how UT System achieved such amazing results.Melissa also talks about flunking out of retirement. She is now VP of Business Development at WorkCompCollege.com ¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

Nelson Gonzalez: About Return To Work

Send us a textIn this episode, Yvonne Guibert catches up with Nelson Gonzalez, Executive Director - Florida, Rehab Without Walls® NeuroSolutions, and they talk about Return to Work. In the workers' compensation system, a return-to-work (RTW) policy or program helps injured or ill employees safely and efficiently return to work. The goal or purpose is to minimize downtime, reduce costs, and maintain employee skills and productivity. Join the conversation to hear Nelson's perspective on why RTW programs are so essential, why some RTW programs fall short, what a good RTW program should include, and more. Companies and resources mentioned during this episode include: Rehab Without Walls® - https://www.rehabwithoutwalls.com/ReEmployability - https://www.reemployability.com/Bag of Happies - https://bagofhappies.com/¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

Joseph Sousa: California Love

Send us a textIn this episode, Yvonne and Rafael chat with Joseph Sousa, Workers' Compensation Program Manager for the City of San Diego. In our conversation, we learn from the perspective of a self-insured, self-administered workers' compensation program administrator, and what is important to that stakeholder perspective. One thing that stands out is the numerous benefits of operating a self-insured, self-administered program for both the employer and employees. The employer gains total control over various aspects, especially compared to purchasing an insurance policy from an external insurer. Since all employees work for the same entity, there is a strong sense of pride and compassion when it comes to supporting colleagues.The City of San Diego is regarded as a gold standard in workers' compensation programs. Some key elements of San Diego's program include:- An established culture of wellness and safety- Early intervention- Peer support and compassion for fellow employees- Effective communication- Self-efficacy, where injured employees take ownership of their recovery- Quality partnerships with medical providersJoin us as we delve deeper into Joseph's insights and learn more about the City of San Diego's workers' compensation program.More about City of San Diego: https://www.sandiego.gov/Council of Self-Insured Public Agencies (COSIPA): https://cosipa.org/Public Agency Risk Management Association (PARMA): https://parma.com/¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

Amy Cooper: Time to Rise!

Send us a textIn this episode, Yvonne and Rafael talk to Amy Cooper, Vice President Sales, Carrier Practice at Gallagher Bassett, and founder of Rise®, an amazing insurance community dedicated to empowering early-career professionals, attracting new talent, fostering networking opportunities, and providing access to invaluable resources, as described on the Rise® website. We are so excited to have Amy as our guest. We've been watching the tremendous growth of the Rise® community and the annual Rise® Leadership Summit that happens every June. So listen as we chat with Amy about the annual event, speed mentoring, fun pop-up events, and more! To learn more about the Rise® Annual Leadership Summit, please visit them at https://riseprofessionals.com/Use code "COMP100" to save $100 on registration for this year's event. 2025 Rise® Leadership Summit June 16-18 Marriott Harbor Beach Resort and SpaFt. Lauderdale, Florida¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

LIVE: 2025 FL Bar and WCCP WC Forum

Send us a textRecently, Yvonne and Rafael attended the 2025 Florida Bar and WCCP Workers' Compensation Forum, April 9-11, in Orlando, Florida. Unfortunately, there was no wi-fi available to do live streaming, which is what we planned to do, but we did talk to several folks and conducted short interviews to capture their excitement and thoughts about the conference. Conference interviews include: Judge David Langham, Florida Deputy Chief Judge of Compensation ClaimsStacy Hossman, Executive Director of WCCPOneill Martinez, FL MediatorYvonne and Rafael take time to catch upHolly Akers, Claimant Attorney - Jacksonville, FLYa'Sheaka Williams, Defense Attorney - Tampa, FLAdam Levy, Defense Attorney - Tampa, FLWe hope you enjoy this "bonus" episode of on-the-spot interviews at one of our top Florida conferences. The conference takes place again in 2026 at the same location at the Omni® ChampionsGate Resort in Orlando, FL, and you can check here for information about that and other events by WCCP: https://www.wccp.org/¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp