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AGENDA

8:00 am – 8:30 am     Registration and Breakfast

8:30 am – 8:35 am      Welcome - Albert Betts, Jr., Executive Director, ICT

8:35 am – 9:30 am      WC Fraud Update - New and Old Challenges

Workers' compensation fraud drives up costs for employers, impacting premiums and potentially forcing benefit cuts. Professionals in the industry must combat it to maintain a fair and sustainable system for workers, businesses, and insurers. Hear from our panelists as they explain fraud trends and information, resources, and cooperation needed to combat the costly crime of workers’ compensation fraud.

9:30 am – 10:25 am     Changing Benefits for Public Workers and Implications for
                                     Private Sector Employers and Insurers

Changes to public worker benefits in Texas impact the entire Workers' Comp landscape. Professionals need to understand how these adjustments affect costs, claims processes, and potential legislative changes for private employers and insurers. This discussion will help you understand how to adapt strategies, advise clients, and navigate a potentially evolving system. Our highly skilled panel will share their perspectives on the changes and potential implications for Texas.

  • Panelist: Stuart Colburn, Shareholder, Downs & Stanford, P.C.
  • Panelist: Bob Graves, Partner, Burns Anderson Jury & Brenner, L.L.P.
  • Panelist: Brandi Prejean, Partner, Thornton, Biechlin, Reynolds & Guerra LC

10:25 am – 10:45 am    Networking Break

10:45 am – 11:40 am    Managing Stress in a Stressed World - Dr. Les Kertay, Clinical and Consulting Psychologist

In a world of pandemics, political discord, and changing social behaviors, these can be stressful times.  Add to that Texas Workers' Comp deals with high-stress situations for workers and employers. Unmanaged stress can lead to burnout, impacting claim handling, communication, and potentially even legal issues. Effective stress management fosters a healthier work environment and better outcomes for everyone. Dr. Les Kertay gives us some ways to manage our stress while dealing with these high stress situations.

11:40 am – 11:50 am     Kids Chance of Texas - Joann Anderson, Manager, Workers’
Compensation Insurance

11:50 am – 1:00 pm      Networking Lunch

1:00 am – 1:55 pm        AI and its Benefits and Challenges Presented to WC

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing Texas Workers' Comp and creating new ways of thinking in multiple workers’ comp scenarios. Professionals need to grasp its benefits (faster claims processing, fraud detection) and challenges (data privacy, allegations of bias) to stay competitive. Understanding AI will help leverage its advantages, navigate potential pitfalls, and ensure fair outcomes for all parties. Our panel of experts will help you navigate these benefits and challenges.

  • Panelist: James Benham, Co-Founder & CEO, JBKnowledge, Terra & SmartCompliance
  • Panelist: Phoebe Murphy, Chief Actuary and Vice President of Enterprise Analytics, Texas Mutual Insurance Company
  • Panelist: Stan Smith, Founder and CEO, Gradient AI

1:55 am – 2:50 pm       Why the Texas WC system works?

Understanding the Texas workers' comp system is key for professionals in the industry. It dictates how claims are handled, benefits delivered (medical & wage), and legal processes for both workers and employers. This knowledge ensures efficient service and minimizes issues for all parties involved. Come hear perspectives from insiders that helped create the current Texas system, who work with multiple state programs, and those who have studied the Texas system from an “outsider’s” perspective.                                  

  • Moderator: Albert Betts, Jr., Executive Director, ICT
  • Panelist: Sam McMurray, Executive Director, Texas Self Insurance Association
  • Panelist: Troy Haley, Administrator, Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Comp
  • Panelist: Bob Wilson, President, WorkCompCollege.com

2:50 pm                         Closing Remarks - Albert Betts, Jr., Executive Director, ICT

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