Enhanced MEDCO-14 is coming soon!
We listened to our customers. Based on BWC stakeholder and employee feedback, we will soon release an enhanced, easy-to-understand Physician’s Report of Work Ability (MEDCO-14) form.
Using functional medical language, we simplified and condensed the four-page form and instructions to two pages with the goal of lessening roadblocks in getting Ohio’s injured workers back to full health and returning to work.
“BWC, managed care organizations, and employers use the workability information provided by treating physicians in the MEDCO-14 form for managing a safe and early return-to-work process,” said Steve Dyer, director of claims technical services.
The MEDCO -14 will feature:
- Easy to use instructions.
- Clarified dates and form language.
- Improved explanations of the activities injured workers can perform.
- An enhanced snapshot of the worker’s abilities at the time of the provider’s evaluation.
We look forward to sharing our enhanced MEDCO-14 with you. Stay tuned for more information.
C-92 Application Exam Availability
We encourage you to ensure that your exam availability information is up to date on the C-92 application. Having the exam availability information current allows us to optimize scheduling turnaround time and processing for this application.
 We are seeing an impact from represented injured workers where either “no availability” is indicated or the “availability“ appears to be no longer relevant. This impacts the ”no show rate" and turnaround time for exam scheduling for processing this application. Also, we may dismiss this application if the injured worker fails to respond to an attempt to schedule an exam or fails to attend the exam.
Kids’ Chance of Ohio Offers Scholarships for Kids of Severely Injured or Killed Workers
A severe workplace injury, occupational disease, or death can have devastating effects on the entire family. Kids' Chance of Ohio can make a difference. This nonprofit organization provides annual scholarship opportunities to children (ages 16-25) of workers fatally injured or permanently and totally disabled (PTD) due to a work-related injury or occupational disease.
Students can use the scholarship to cover tuition, fees, books, and room and board at trade or vocational schools, industrial or commercial training, junior college or community college, college undergraduate, and college graduate schools.
We are not affiliated with Kids’ Chance of Ohio, and any award is separate from the PTD and survivor benefits we pay. To learn more, visit the Kids Chance Scholarship page on our website or go to www.kidschanceohio.org.
Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Card Vendor to Change from KeyBank to U.S. Bank
BWC’s vendor is changing from KeyBank to U.S. Bank and the EBT recipients will be receiving new EBT cards. BWC plans to have this conversion completed by June 10, 2022.
EBT cards go to claimants, including dependents (widow, dependent children) in a death claim, who choose to receive their benefits that way. They are usually individuals who do not have banking accounts. The total population is about 3,000 individuals. The card is sent to the individual once (unless it is lost or stolen, at which point the card is replaced). Additional benefits are then added to the card electronically.
The Key2Benefits MasterCard® will remain active for benefit recipients until they draw down their balance to zero. However, BWC will no longer deposit funds to that card after June 9, 2022. Funds cannot be transferred from the Key2Benefits MasterCard® to the U.S. Bank ReliaCard®.
What this change means for benefit recipients
- Beginning in June 2022, prepaid cardholders will receive their benefit payments on the U.S. Bank ReliaCard®.
- Benefit recipients will start receiving their new ReliaCard® in a white envelope with a return address from Indianapolis, Indiana by May 31, 2022.
- BWC will make the first deposit to the U.S. Bank ReliaCard® on June 10, 2022.
For additional information visit our website Debit card provider to change from KeyBank to US Bank.
Using the Provider Look Up Feature
BWC strives to keep our certified provider network, including group practices, accurate and at your fingertips. Located on our agency home page, the Find A Provider feature is used to locate a network provider.
How to find a provider
The Find A Provider web offering can be searched by location, provider name, category type (hospital, physician, etc.), or specialty. You can also search for participating pharmacies and physicians participating in BWC’s pilot Enhanced Care Program.
While we rely on providers to inform us of their practice address, phone, fax numbers and if they are accepting new patients, we realize there are times when this information may not be correct.
Inaccurate information? Contact us!
If you are using the lookup feature and find information that is inaccurate, contact us at feedback.medical@bwc.state.oh.us or call our dedicated provider contact center at 1-800-477-2292.
A new feature for providers is the My Provider Info web offering that allows providers to use their e-account access to update their network information in real time instead of the paper notification process.
Connect with us electronically
Did you know that BWC offers the option to sign up for electronic notifications? After creating an e-account, log into your My Policy page to sign-up for eNotices.
 The My Policy page also offers the option to securely upload policy documents such as address changes, cancellations, and premium audit documentation. After logging in, you will see the Upload Documents option on the top left of the page.
BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene has employers covered!
BWC’s Division of Safety and Hygiene (DSH) has shared a new promotional video highlighting the safety programs, services, and resources that DSH offers to help employers create a safe and healthy workplace at no additional cost. Watch the video today or contact us at bwc.ohio.gov or 1-800-644-6292 to learn more.
Upcoming Safety Webinars
The DSH webinar series has a great lineup of educational and informative webinars scheduled for June and July 2022. These webinars are live, which allows us to provide educational credits to the attendees who complete the interactive activities and a knowledge assessment at the webinar’s conclusion. BWC is accredited by The International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and a variety of BWC discount program credits based on employer participation.
Listed below are the upcoming planned webinars:
For additional information please contact David Costantino by email at david.c.12@bwc.state.oh.us or by phone 330-301-5825.
School Safety and Security Grant expanded to include HVAC improvements
The School Safety and Security Grant (SSSG) has been expanded to help cover the costs of improvements to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
Additional funding of $15,000 is available to any qualifying entity under the SSSG program to cover the cost of inspections, assessments, maintenance, and improvements to HVAC systems and the purchase of other secondary devices to control the spread of airborne contaminants, including viruses, for eligible applicants. Qualified entities must be a licensed preschool through 12th grade educational organization/agency that provides direct instructional services to children.
This offering is available to employers with no matching amount required and eligible applicants may apply even if they have exhausted all previously available SSSG funds. A secondary application is required for employers receiving funds for HVAC improvements.
An exact list of qualifying equipment can be found here. Please go to the School Safety and Security Grant-HVAC page to apply for HVAC improvements. Other questions about the program should be emailed to grants@bwc.state.oh.us.
BWC implements important and timely changes to audio-only telehealth services
Many providers and injured workers have realized improved access to care utilizing audio-only telehealth services. The policy changes became effective April 1, 2022 and are detailed in Policy Alert 2022-01 Audio-Only Telehealth Services. The alert was created to clarify billing requirements and correct coding for services provided via audio-only technology, including under what conditions and circumstances would audio-only services be reimbursable.
Throughout the COVID pandemic state of emergency, BWC expanded coverage to increase the flexibility of the delivery of synchronous telemedicine and telehealth services, such as audio-only services through Policy Alert 2020-01.
COVID-19 State of Emergency, BWC permitted providers to utilize audio-only services (telephone codes 99371-99373) in lieu of office visits only through March 31, 2022.
The services described in alert #2022-01 are effective for dates of service on or after April 1, 2022. In addition to expanded service options permissible by this policy alert, providers may continue to utilize telephone service, check in codes, synchronous telemedicine and in-person options for service delivery, as applicable.
Providers who continue to bill telephone service codes for audio-only services should immediately review the audio-only requirements, as well as the other relevant policies mentioned. These services are billable only when correct coding and policy requirements are met.
Two Important Facility Reimbursement Updates Effective May 1, 2022
The BWC hospital outpatient (OAC 4123-6-37.2) and ambulatory surgical center (ASC) (OAC 4123-6-37.3) payment rules were effective on May 1, 2022.
ASC billing represents a small percentage of total BWC reimbursements paid in state fiscal year 2021, however this provider segment is a critical component of our provider network and saw over one million dollars – a 12% increase – in growth from fiscal year 2020 to fiscal year 2021. Reimbursement for hospital outpatient services is projected to increase 3% for the next fiscal year. Key updates by fee schedule are as follows:
Hospital Outpatient Updates
Included with the adoption of the 2022 Medicare rule updates, BWC added new preamble language to clarify BWC’s reimbursement approach to hospital outpatient provider-based department billing. This new section guides the applicability of Medicare’s approach, modifier reporting requirements, and payment impacts for off-campus excepted, non-excepted, and emergency provider-based departments.
ASC Updates
ASCs provide services in connection with surgical procedures that do not require inpatient or outpatient hospital services. Currently there are eight arthroplasty codes that may only be provided by ASCs approved by BWC to perform arthroplasty procedures. The ASC arthroplasty certification requirement was added for the current rate year for the codes 23470 and 23473.
You may view details for the changes to both services in our 2022 fee schedule rules publication on our website’s fee schedules page.
See changes over time with new online archive of Ohio specific safety requirements
Did you know that until 1971, workplace safety laws and rules were left up to the states? That’s when President Richard Nixon signed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) into law. However, Ohio still has its own workplace safety laws and rules on the books. The BWC Library can help you navigate Ohio’s specific safety requirements (SSRs) and can explain why they’re important for employers and guide you through their evolution.
The history of SSRs can be complicated and confusing. That’s why the BWC Library digitized the collection. By digitizing and supplying a history of changes to SSRs, our patrons can access these documents easily.
To view our collection of digitized SSRs, visit our specific safety requirements webpage. If you have any questions, please call the BWC Library at 614-466-7388 or email us at library@bwc.state.oh.us.
The Ohio Legislative Service Commission houses the Ohio’s current specific safety requirements on its website. BWC reviews SSRs every five years to ensure they follow current safety practices and standards. Employers who do not adhere to SSRs may face fines and penalties from the IC. The BWC website describes the violation of specific safety requirement (VSSR) benefit.
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