Lost time claims are the most expensive workers’ compensation claims and have the greatest impact on an employer’s premium.
There are more than 130,000 active lost time claims currently managed by the 15 MCOs in Ohio. 1-888-OhioComp manages more than 12,000 of these claims. Lost time claims can be active for years and if not aggressively managed, the cumulative costs will continue to grow.
The BWC Enterprise Report of January 2016 reported the depth of the situation: “Average medical expenses per active lost time claim have increased from $37,505 as of Dec. 31, 2011, to $46,640 as of Dec. 31, 2015. Average indemnity expenses per active lost time claim have increased from $56,753 to $73,625 over the same period.”
There are many strategies to managing claim costs:
- Return to work is the best way of resolving claims and minimizing costs.
- Utilization management should be conducted on every treatment request to ensure only treatment for the allowed condition is authorized.
- Discounts are negotiated with medical providers. 1-888-OhioComp has negotiated some of the best discounts on services and has exclusive discounts with many providers.
- Drug utilization reviews should be conducted to stop excessive opioid usage and prescriptions for unrelated conditions.
- Bill utilization should be reviewed on every medical bill. The review would confirm if the medical procedures and/or treatment were appropriate and that the invoices are correct and accurate. Each year, 1-888-OhioComp reduces or denies thousands of medical bills that are for unallowed conditions, incorrectly billed, improperly coded or are duplications.
Dan Neubert is COO of 1-888-OhioComp, which provides an exceptional team derived from its 65 nurses to aggressively medically manage claims from date of injury to resolution. 1-888-OhioComp also has the Best Return to Work Rate for Lost Time Claims*, Lowest Claim Costs for Active Lost Time Claims** and Highest Percentage of Drug Utilization Reviews***.
*Data Source BWC Report sp15_10764 (2/12/16)
**Data Source BWC Report sp15_10763 (12/31/15)
***Data Source BWC DUR Statistics (8/19/15)
How to contact: 1-888-OhioComp Inc., (888) 644-6266 or www.1-888-ohiocomp.com
