Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Adopts New Schedule, Increasing ASC Payments

COLUMBUS,OH – The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) board of directors today adopted new fee schedules that will increase overall reimbursements to ambulatory surgical centers (ASC) and vocational rehabilitation providers that treat injured workers. The new fee schedules will increase payments to ASCs by 16 percent and those to vocational rehabilitation providers will rise by six percent over 2009 rates.

“Ambulatory surgical centers and vocational rehabilitation providers are crucial to meeting the needs of injured workers,” said Bob Coury, BWC’s chief of medical services. “By offering competitive fee schedules we are supporting this network of medical and vocational providers to offer quality medical and rehabilitative care, intended to help injured workers with a safe and swift return to work.”

Approximately 200 Ohio ASCs serve injured workers who need treatment in connection with surgical procedures not requiring inpatient hospitalization. Vocational rehabilitation providers offer individualized programs for injured workers who need assistance in safely returning to their job or need to be trained for new work when they can no longer perform duties of their former position due to their injury. The vocational rehabilitation fee schedule will become effective February 15, 2010 and ASC fee schedule will become effective April 1.

In other business, the board’s Actuarial Committee heard a presentation from BWC staff detailing proposed new programs that are designed to give Ohio employers opportunities to have more control in managing their workers’ compensation expenditures. The programs are part of BWC’s rate reform efforts. They are based on successful insurance industry practices and intended to increase workplace safety efforts.