Dr Isabel King, Policy and Advocacy Advisor at Exercise & Sports Science Australia, interviews Rhea Mercado, an exercise physiologist with over 21 years of experience in workers' compensation, to unpack the recent New South Wales Workers' Compensation reforms and what they mean for exercise physiologists on the ground.

Rhea cuts through the noise with clarity and warmth, breaking down why reform was necessary, what's actually changed, and most importantly, EPs can not just survive but genuinely thrive within the updated scheme.

Rhea explains the scheme faced a massive deficit and a 64% rise in psychological claims, making sustainability and cost efficiency unavoidable, and clarifies scheme agents manage claims rather than underwrite risk. She highlights key reform impacts for ESSA members: tighter, faster and more forensic decision-making focused on medical/treatment entitlements, return to work and prevention, including a 42-day liability decision window for psychological claims where treatment can cease if liability is declined.

The discussion emphasises “scheme literacy” alongside evidence-based care: translating clinical measures into functional work capacity, aligning goals to certificates of capacity, “bundling goals,” “consistently creeping capacity,” reducing weekly benefits by increasing work capacity, and proactively building rapport and communicating with claims managers.

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This video is brought to you by Threesticks Productions, Rhea Mercado HQ and The Intelligent Rebellion in collaboration with Exercise & Sports Science Australia. Copyright Threesticks Pty Ltd, Rhea Mercado, The Intelligent Rebellion

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