Free Workers Compensation Action Network Town Hall featuring San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe

Come to a riveting, free Town Hall meeting sponsored by the Workers' Compensation Action Network, and featuring San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe who will highlight how the county is aggressively pursuing workers' comp fraud prosecutions. Also presenting is nationally recognized expert in the insurance industry and law enforcement Teena Barton, who is a Major Case Special Investigator in a workers' comp fraud investigation unit with ICW Group. She will share stories of how injured workers are used for profit and how recruitment firms receive illegal kickbacks for referrals to hospitals, doctors and ancillary medical service providers, essentially "using people like ATMs." She will discuss her own expertise as well as the case of Sean O'Keefe, a convicted workers compensation attorney serving 13 months in federal prison for his involvement in a $200 million scheme built around recruitment referrals and kickbacks to use injured workers for fraudulent billing. Jerry Azevedo with the Workers' Compensation Action Network (WCAN) will provide an update on the status of the workers comp system in California and activity in the State Capitol. We will also hear from YOU, business owners, who can share your workers comp experiences with the District Attorney. WCAN is a broad-based, statewide coalition that has successfully fought for reforms to provide state and local officials more tools to combat workers' compensation fraud to help meet the dual goals of stable costs for employers and higher benefits for injured workers. In recent years, state lawmakers enacted several pieces of legislation designed to improve system efficiency, reduce conflict and litigation, and stem abuses by service providers. These reforms are delivering higher benefits to California workers while stabilizing employer costs. Despite these reforms, California's system remains one of the most costly and litigious in the nation and vulnerable to evolving forms of fraud and abuse. Complimentary lunch will be provided.