Every two years, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) allows employers to change their Managed Care Organization (MCO). The 2014 MCO Open Enrollment period begins Monday April 28, 2014 at 7:30am EST and runs through Friday, May 23, 2014 at 5:30pm EST. During this time, Ohio state funded employers have the opportunity to select a new MCO to manage their workplace injury medical claims.
MCO service is included in your BWC premium, so there are NO SERVICE FEES to consider when choosing your MCO. So what should you consider? Here are 10 tips to make sure you choose the MCO that’s right for you.
- Know the impact on your business. MCOs play a critical role in keeping your workers’ comp premiums as low as possible. Ask how the MCO can help your business save money on your workers’ compensation premiums.
- Compare your options. All MCOs must meet certain criteria per the BWC, but some consistently outperform the industry average. Ask how your current MCO compares to other MCOs you are considering on BWC performance measures.
- Speed matters. The longer an injured worker is off work, the higher the claim costs become. Ask the MCO how quickly they get an injured worker back to work.
- Return to work is one of the most important elements of managed care. Ask the MCO what strategies they use to help facilitate return to work for an injured employee.
- Provider networks are not all the same. Ask the MCO to list three medical providers located in the area of your business to make sure you can get the network rates at convenient facilities.
- Personal service is important. You need solutions that fit your business. Make sure the MCO has the ability to fit your needs. Do they offer customized reports? Can they provide customized injury packets?
- Convenience. Make sure what the MCO offers fits your needs. Do you want to call someone every time you have a claim or look online? Do you have one contact? Several contacts? Is there an online system to access your account?
- It’s okay to ask for examples. If you want to make sure you will get what you need, ask for examples. A simple, “Do you have a sample report I can review?” can get you the detail you need to make an informed decision.
- Ask for references. If you want to get the inside scoop from someone who works with the MCO you are considering, ask for a reference. Or, if you don’t want to call someone, ask to see some testimonials from current clients.
- You don’t have to make a change. You may select a new MCO or you may select to stay with your current MCO. If you decide not to switch your MCO, then you do not need to do anything during open enrollment, you will automatically be re-enrolled.
Learn more about Open Enrollment and Sheakley UniComp at Sheakley.com/mco.
Ready to sign up with Sheakley UniComp as your MCO? Click here.
