Transitional Work: Programs, Bonuses and Making Them Work for Your Business

Posted By Brandy King
April 24, 2023 Category: Ohio Bwc, Transitional Work, MCO, Transitional Work Grant, Transitional Work Bonus, Light Duty

Transitional Work is a topic that’s often misunderstood (therefore not utilized) by Ohio employers, because there are a few different angles on it. Many don’t realize that there’s the official program through BWC, but there are also bonuses available to companies with their own Transitional Work Program (TWP). Ohio BWC’s Transitional Workplace Grant is designed to help employers (who don’t already have a similar program in place) set up the policy itself and develop detailed job descriptions. These can make it much easier for the employer to accommodate restrictions given by the provider, or a light duty offer from the employer’s TPA. The finished job descriptions will include information such as how much an employee in that role would need to push, pull or lift (including weight limits), how much of the shift is spent sitting or standing, and any other physical demands. The grant funds each employer receives will depend on the company’s size and can range from $2900 to $6300 total. So, what if you already have your own TWP in place? Great! You’re a step ahead. Regardless of how your TWP came to fruition, there’s also the possibility of benefitting from the Transitional Work Bonus. As long as your policy isn’t enrolled in Group Retro and the program is utilized on qualifying claims (and a few particulars are met), you may be able to receive as much as 10% of premiums back as part of this program. If you hav

Ohio BWC's MCO Report Card: What Does It All Mean?

Posted By Brandy King
April 17, 2023 Category: Ohio Bwc, Mco Report Card, Mco Open Enrollment, FROI Timing, Employer Satisfaction

    Every year, Ohio BWC releases the MCO Report Card, scoring MCOs in six categories. During MCO Open Enrollment every two years, the Report Card plays an important role in employers’ decision making. However, not everyone understands what all of these benchmarks mean, or they’re thrown off by how the numbers are represented.  Most scores are represented in a horizontal bar chart with a vertical line representing the “statewide average” in that category. While the numbers may appear far apart visually, they may be very close in value. Here’s a great example, pulled from the 2023 Report Card’s Provider Bill Accuracy. One would assume these figures are at least a few percentage points apart, right? Not so fast! They’re less than 1% apart. The graphic makes it seem like the MCO to the left is really dropping the ball, when in reality they’re only 0.59% behind their competitor to the right.   Be sure you’re looking at the actual numbers, not just visuals. It’s just as important to know what each category means, and why some of these benchmarks matter more to BWC than employers. The first two categories aren’t scores, but give you an idea of market share for each MCO. Page 2 shows the number of employers represented by each MCO, and how many active claims they were managing at the time the snapshot was taken. Page 3 showcases each MCO’s book of businesses across 12 industries. Eve

MCO and TPA Responsibilities

Posted By Brandy King
April 14, 2023 Category: Mco, Tpa, Ohio Bwc, Ohio Workers' Comp,

Workers' compensation, especially in Ohio, comes with so many acronyms that it can be overwhelming to determine who is responsible for what. Our team put together a helpful graphic to help cover the larger parts of the picture without getting into the weeds. We hope you find it helpful! Feel free to contact us with any additional questions on these