Three SFM representatives participated in this year’s Kansas Association of Insurance Agents (KAIA) Annual Convention in Wichita, Kansas on January 24-26.

“The convention gave us an opportunity to see many of our current agency partners and continue to build our brand and presence in Kansas,” said Small Business Marketing Representative Mark Lewis. “It was a really fun event that we plan to continue to sponsor and attend going forward.”

SFM is a KAIA member and a sponsor of the annual event. Lewis, Senior Marketing Underwriter Jeff Magee and SFM Business Development Specialist Cody Allen attended.

“The feedback we get from agencies is that they love working with SFM for two primary reasons – ease of doing business and responsiveness,” Magee said. “We’ve made it easy for them to work with us and they hear from us quickly, providing a 1- to 2-hour turnaround in most cases.”

The team is looking forward to making more connections in Kansas throughout 2022.

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The results of our latest agent survey are in, and agents gave SFM high marks on ease of doing business. 94% of respondents said it is either “easy” or “very easy” to do business with SFM, with 6% of responses being neutral.

Thank you to the more than 450 agents who participated in the survey. We review all feedback carefully and use it to continue to improve our services.

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Two attorneys from SFM’s in-house law firm have taken up leadership roles in the Minnesota legal community.

Jessica Stoeckman, JD, Defense Counsel, was named co-chair of the Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association Workers’ Compensation Committee. Her role includes organizing meetings for member defense attorneys. She also acts as a liaison between members and other interested parties, such as the Department of Labor and Industry and the workers’ compensation division at the Office of Administrative Hearings.

Peter Lindquist, JD, Defense Counsel, was named to the Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association Workers’ Compensation Legislative Policy Subcommittee. His role involves meeting with other members of the association to discuss insurance and defense focused proposals for new legislation and rulemaking changes. He and other members also represent those ideas in discussions with the Minnesota Association for Justice and with Department of Labor and Industry workgroups.

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The attorneys of SFM’s in-house law firm compiled a win/loss record of almost 80% (15-4) in 2021 for hearings at the Office of Administrative Hearings in St. Paul, Minn.

In terms of workers’ compensation case law, the legal team saw some significant cases come down from the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2021. The Musta v. Mendota Heights Dental Center and the Bierbach v. Digger’s Polaris decisions that came down in October found that insurers do not have to reimburse for medical cannabis. The attorneys representing the injured workers in these cases have appealed the decisions to the United States Supreme Court and the court is looking at these cases. It is LSH attorneys’ understanding that they have invited the Biden administration to submit a brief on the issue. Stay tuned to future issues of the Agent Agenda for updates on these cases.

In another important decision, the Minnesota Supreme Court provided clarification to the “rare exceptions” rule provided for in the Minnesota Treatment Parameters. In two separate cases, Leuthard v. Independent School District 912 (April 2021) and Johnson v. Darchucks decision (August 2021) the court provided necessary guidance as to when a rare exception will be allowed. In the Leuthard v. Independent School District 912 decision, the Court stated that the employee must raise the rare exception at the hearing and present evidence as to why a rare exception should be granted.

The Court then went further in the Johnson v. Darchucks decision finding that the rare exception is reserved for “exceptional circumstances” that the drafters of the parameters did not anticipate. The injured worker must establish justification as to why the treatment parameters are not being followed.

These are all important decisions as we continue to review and litigate issues associated with the treatment parameters.

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For over a dozen years, the SFM Foundation’s annual golf tournaments have been the charity’s top source for fundraising. These gatherings have turned into one of the highlights of the season for Foundation supporters. In 2022, the Foundation is hosting events in both Minnesota and Iowa, and SFM’s agency partners are invited to join the fun.

The Iowa event comes first this year, to be held at Hyperion Field Club in Johnston on Monday, May 23, 2022. The Minnesota event is scheduled for Monday, June 13, 2022, at Prestwick Golf Club in Woodbury.

Space at both events is limited, and these dates are right around the corner. To learn more about registration or sponsoring the events, visit sfmfoundation.com .

Funds raised at these events go toward scholarships for students whose parents were seriously injured or killed while working for Minnesota or Iowa employers.

About the SFM Foundation

The SFM Foundation was created in 2008 by SFM Companies. SFM Foundation is dedicated to easing the burdens on families affected by workplace accidents. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded 203 scholarships totaling $2.8 million. For more information, visit sfmfoundation.com .

SFM Foundation is an affiliate of Kids’ Chance of America in Iowa and Minnesota.

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