Workers compensation insurance experts have their eyes on economic trends and political party changes as they spy issues that could impact the line in 2019 and beyond, but perhaps the most pervasive trend to watch is the overarching focus on the injured employee.

“In workers compensation, consumers are often referred to as claimants and thought of as part of a claim or a process,” said Kimberly George, chief healthcare officer for Sedgwick, during a webinar in January. “What if we flip the script and consider the fact that injured workers consume the goods we offer and deliver throughout the entire system, and therefore, our injured workers are consumers of our services?” she asked.