How Small Business Owners Can Streamline Their Worker’s Comp Process
If you are an employer, you should be familiar with the obligation to help the workers who get injured at work. However, you may not be familiar with the ins and outs of workers’ compensation and insurance policies. Workers’ compensation benefits employees who suffer injuries or illness while conducting business operations.
Some compensations include payment for treatment costs, death benefits if an employee dies due to an accident, and compensation for lost wages. There are also partial and permanent disability benefits, vocational rehabilitation, and many more.
However, the worker’s compensation process may be a hassle if the business lacks proper organization and management programs. This article examines how small businesses can streamline their workers’ compensation process (see more at https://www.employers.com/).
The Supervisors Should Play Their Role Well
Typically, the supervisors and managers relay much information during an insurance claim process. They provide the employees with vital information about the claim, and the claim divisions within the organization, providing the insurance company with the necessary information about the injured and coordinating the flow of information between the insurance company and the business. The supervisor is also responsible for immediately providing information about the accident with the doctor’s report.
Efficient Accident Reporting System
An easy-to-use accident reporting system makes it easier for workers to receive compensation. Therefore, a report sent to the insurance carrier and the claims personnel should only contain relevant information and doesn’t have to be a complicated process. If your reporting process is complicated, workers may avoid using it.
You should look for a simpler procedure in which the report can quickly pass from the employee to the supervisor or manager and then to the claims handler. Efficient reporting lowers the cost of the workers’ compensation process as you don’t have the concerns of claims investigations or hiring a workers’ compensation lawyer. Partnering with an experienced insurance company will ensure the process is simple and easy.
Establish A Relationship with Medical Care Providers
Having a good relationship with the medical care providers will enable you to get a quick initial diagnosis to determine the extent and nature of the injury. It will also allow you to estimate the return to work dates and the course of recovery and be able to modify duty restrictions.
Medical Cost Control Measures
Often, the cost control measures in healthcare do not exist in workers’ compensation. Usually, the treatments given in workers’ compensation exceed the treatment cost for a similar injury in a non-compensation case. Therefore, to control the cost, it is advisable to monitor the treatments given and ask about the service delivered to the patient and whether they are charged appropriately.
Stay Engaged with The Injured Worker
Maintain good relations with workers who miss work due to injuries and show them how much they are valued and feel being a part of the organization even when they are out. Consider a formal return-to-work policy to become a win-win situation; enabling employees to return to work more quickly will greatly lower the claim costs.
Summary
Small businesses can streamline their workers’ compensation process with an efficient and easy-to-use reporting system. The supervisors should also play their roles well, establish a good relationship with medical care providers and implement medical cost control measures. Stay engaged with the injured employees so that they feel valued and are part of the business; this enables them to return to work quickly, thereby cutting down the claims costs.
