BWC announces open enrollment period for MCOs is May 3 through 28

Next month the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) gives employers the opportunity to evaluate options for the Managed Care Organization (MCO) that will handle the medical management services for their workers’ compensation claims.

The open enrollment period begins Monday, May 3 and ends Friday, May 28. It is important for employers to take the time now to assess managed care organizations, as a strong MCO-employer partnership helps injured workers receive the treatment they need to get back to work as safety and quickly as possible, as well as help control worker’s compensation premiums and medical costs.

When evaluating MCO options employers should consider the following questions:

- Does the MCO have a strong return to work rate which ensures employees are returning to the job in a safe, quick effective manner?

- Does the MCO provide and quantify significant medical savings?

- Is personal service provided that includes dedicated account executives and nurse care managers, quarterly meetings, on-site nurses, regional workshops and workers’ compensations program assessments?

- Does the MCO have a full-time medical director on staff to provide services including availability a workshops, training, claim staffing, provider communication and partnership planning?

- Is the organization committed to online services by providing sophisticated clinical editing and bill review platforms, full imaging/scanning services and 24-hour real time online access to claim status, diagnosis, medical information, staff notes and medical documents?

Taking the extra step to assess these factors can result in significant savings for your organization in the next two years. The open enrollment period only occurs every two years, so do not miss the opportunity next month to evaluate the options.

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