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NewsWhen Life Changes the Game. The Power of Perseverance
By Nini Chow - October 18, 2026Truth can be stranger than fiction. This young construction worker’s extraordinary survival shows insurance working as intended and the strength of the human spirit.
This is the unbelievable and miraculous survival story of Loren Schauers, a young construction worker who had a catastrophic accident involving a forklift.
In September 2019, 18-year-old Loren Schauers was working at a construction site in Wilsall, Montana. While trying to move a water barrier, he veered to avoid an illegally passing vehicle. He drove his forklift too close to an uncompacted edge at a bridge-reconstruction site. The soft edge of the dirt embankment gave way, causing the forklift to tip and plummet 50 feet down a hill. He tried to jump clear, but his leg was caught in the seatbelt. The 4,000-pound vehicle (this was not the typical yellow forklift you might see at a warehouse) rolled and landed on top of him, crushing his pelvis, lower body, and right forearm.
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California's Division of Workers' Compensation updates hospital outpatient department and ambulatory surgical center fee schedule for October 2026 Medicare changes
By Lonce Lamonte, editor, editing the CA DWC Newsline news release - October 7, 2026The Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) has posted an order updating the Hospital Outpatient Departments and Ambulatory Surgical Centers section of the Official Medical Fee Schedule to reflect changes to the Medicare payment system, as required by Labor Code section 5307.1.
The order adopts the following fourth-quarter 2026 Medicare updates for services rendered on or after October 1, 2026:
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California Division of Workers' Compensation updates durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies fee schedule for October 2026 Medicare changes
By Lonce Lamonte, editor, editing the CA DWC Newsline news release - October 5, 2026 The Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) has posted an order updating the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) section of the Official Medical Fee Schedule to reflect changes to the Medicare payment system, as required by Labor Code section 5307.1.
The order adopts Medicare's fourth-quarter 2026 updates to the DMEPOS Fee Schedule for services rendered on or after October 1, 2026.
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California Division of Workers' Compensation updates physician and non-physician practitioner services fee schedule for October 2026 Medicare changes
By Lonce Lamonte, editor, editing the CA DWC Newsline news release - October 2, 2026The Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) has posted an order updating the physician and non-physician practitioner services portion of the Official Medical Fee Schedule (OMFS) to reflect changes to the Medicare payment system, as required by Labor Code section 5307.1.
The order adopts the following fourth-quarter 2026 Medicare updates for services rendered on or after October 1, 2026:
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' Medicare National Physician Fee Schedule Relative Value File quarterly update, effective October 1, 2026 (RVU26D; updated August 26, 2026)
• Updated Practitioner Procedure-to-Procedure (PTP) Edits
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September 22, 2026 - Medical service costs rising with payments and utilization in California workers' compensation September 15, 2026 - California Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) issues notice of public hearing on proposed evidence-based update to the Medical Treatment Utilization Schedule September 15, 2026 - California Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee meeting scheduled for October 21, 2026 September 11, 2026 - Nicole Richardson appointed California Division of Workers' Compensation Administrative Director September 10, 2026 - California workers' compensation medical costs rise 5% in 2026 per the WCIRB August 27, 2026 - California's DIR, DWC release report on access to medical care in California’s workers’ compensation system  News Archive
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