Category: News

Tennessee’s largest health insurer will stop covering OxyContin prescriptions as part of an effort to combat opioid addiction.
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee’s Natalie Tate tells The Tennessean the company will encourage doctors to recommend two alternatives to OxyContin, which BlueCross will cease paying for on Jan. 1.
The suggested alternatives, Xtampza and Morphabond, are more expensive opioid pain relievers, designed to be more difficult to abuse. Tate says customers will pay the same copay as for OxyContin, and BlueCross will absorb the additional cost.
OxyContin is manufactured by Purdue Pharma, which has been accused of intentionally fueling the opioid epidemic. Other large insurers, such as Cigna and Florida Blue, have made similar moves. This change affects only Tennessee, and Medicare customers and approved cancer and hospice patients are exempt.

The Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) is warning Tennesseans of a scam in which victims are contacted via Facebook Messenger and then asked to wire funds in order to receive money from a federal workers’ compensation program.
The alleged scam artist, who used the account of an actual Facebook friend, recently contacted a Tennessee resident via Facebook Messenger to tell her she could be entitled to money through the new program. He explained the program is designed to help retired, semi-retired, working class, and low-income earners.
During the online conversation with someone she thought she knew, the scammer told the woman she could receive upwards to $150,000.
But, in order to collect compensation, he told the woman she would have to pay upfront the taxes associated with the amount of money in order to receive payment from the government. The scam artist went so far as to give the woman a Rhode Island telephone number to text for more information about where to send money via Western Union.
The Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation warns Tennesseans there is no such federal workers’ compensation program.
If anyone receives an unsolicited Facebook message claiming they are entitled to thousands of dollars through the workers’ compensation program should immediately block the sender and contact Facebook to report the scam.

The Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network (TSPN) in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services wishes to announce the formation of the Veteran Suicide Prevention Task Force (VSPTF).
This joint effort of TSPN and the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services, which was created and approved by the TSPN Advisory Council, will serve to focus veteran serving organizations throughout Tennessee towards the goal of suicide prevention.
The VSPTF will meet to create and carry out action items to support the veteran population at-risk of suicide.
According to a press release from Director Joanne Perley, “We are excited about Tennessee being one of the first states in the nation to establish a statewide Veterans Suicide Prevention Task Force.”
If you need help? Call (888) 768-0486. (WGNS Radio)

The American Legion riders’ group will have their monthly fundraising dinner on Saturday. The Spaghetti dinner will be held this Saturday from 5 to 7 PM. The cost is $8.00 per person and will be held at the Veterans Building 130 Shelton Road in Manchester. This month’s dinner will donate to the Tennessee Honor Flight which takes our heroic Veterans to Washington DC to see the memorials they sacrificed for to ensure freedom. The American Legion riders group hopes that everyone will come out and show their support.

It may still feel like summer, but with fall around the corner, doctors are already encouraging patients to get this year’s flu shot.
American Academy of Pediatrics is urging parents to get their kids vaccinated as early as possible, starting at the age of 6 months.
That warning comes on the heels of last year’s flu season, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said was one of the most severe on record.
The illness left thousands of children in the United States hospitalized, and 179 children died of flu-related causes.
Officials said about 80 percent of the children who died from influenza last year did not get an immunization.
American Academy of Pediatrics recently posted its official policy statement, which emphasizes that the flu shot is preferred over the nasal mist.
It’s now the third consecutive flu season the pediatrics group has recommended against the nasal spray, saying it was less powerful against some strains of influenza.

The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance’s (TDCI) Consumer Insurance Services Section announces that $3.2 million has been returned so far to Tennesseans through the Department’s restitution efforts in 2018.
TDCI consumer insurance services investigators mediate complaints between policyholders and insurance companies. These efforts may result in denied claims being overturned or additional benefits being identified and paid to consumers. Through the first eight months of 2018, TDCI efforts have resulted in$3,206,507.73 being paid to consumers. By comparison, $6.5 million was returned to Tennesseans in all of 2017.
So far, the Department has received 2,041 complaints or inquiries in 2018. The top five reasons consumers have contacted the Department are claim denial, claim delays, adjuster handling, unsatisfactory settlement offer, and out-of-network benefits.
TDCI reminds consumers that filing a complaint or contacting the Department is always an option if they feel a claim has been unjustly denied or if they have questions or concerns about their insurance policies.
If you have questions about consumer insurance, visit TDCI’s website or contact us at 1-800-342- 4029 or (615) 741-2218.

Allegations that the Department of Labor is not enforcing stipulations around wages and working conditions are coming to light.
It’s the subject of a lawsuit filed by the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC), which accuses the DOL of not ensuring the agriculture industry abides by guidelines established for workers with H-2A visas.
“So, what that leads to is just workers being paid less, both guest workers coming from Mexico and other countries, as well as U.S. workers that are working in those jobs,” explains Justin Flores, FLOC’s vice president.
An H-2A visa allows a foreign national entry into the United States for temporary or seasonal agricultural work.
The U.S. Department of Labor referred a request for comment to the Department of Justice, which declined to comment on this story.
Flores says while upholding the law regarding H-2A visas is the goal of FLOC’s lawsuit, there is a larger problem that needs to be addressed with manufacturers demanding bottom dollar pricing from their agriculture suppliers.
“We obviously want to see improved wages and working conditions for all workers in agriculture, but we see this only as only one small piece of the puzzle,” he states. “Right now, it’s important to get manufacturers and purchasers of agricultural projects to improve their procurement processes.”
Earlier this year, the Trump administration said it was looking to modernize the H-2A visa program by streamlining the process while ensuring protections for workers.
There are reports of a shortage of farm workers because of the recent immigration crackdown nationwide.

700 cyclists are setting out to raise $600,000 toward a world free of MS by riding up to 150 miles over two days. Bike MS: Bike to Jack & Back will depart from Page High School in Franklin on Saturday, October 6. For the first time ever, cyclists will cross the finish line at the Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg. Finishers, their friends, families and fans, will have the opportunity to enjoy a tour of the distillery and a BBQ dinner that evening. Those participating in day two will ride from the distillery back to Franklin on Sunday, October 7.
PARTICIPATION/ VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION: bikeMS.org, 855-372-1331 or fundraisingsupport@nmss.org.