When it comes to winning the WAR on injuries, BWC will remain strong. And injured workers can recover quickly and safely from their injuries, and remain at work.

What is remain at work?
Remain at work is any method used to keep injured workers on the job. We have two main goals for remain at work:

• To assist injured workers who remain at work after an injury;
• To provide services to injured workers with medical-only claims (seven or fewer days of missed work) who’ve returned to work, but are experiencing difficulties and are in jeopardy of going off work again.

How do I initiate the process?
You should notify your managed care organization (MCO) when an injured worker may need specialized services to keep working or is experiencing difficulty due to an injury after returning to work. Injured workers, employers, physicians of record or any party to the claim can make this referral. Remember, the sooner the better -- early intervention is the key to a quick and safe recovery.

Who is eligible?
Eligibility is determined through these three factors:

• The injured worker has an allowed or certified medical-only claim;
• The injured worker is experiencing difficulty at work due to the allowed condition;
• The employer, injured worker or physician has identified the difficulty.

What is the MCO’s role?
First, the MCO documents the difficulty that an injured worker is experiencing. It then develops a remain-at-work plan, and coordinates and pays for services.

What remain-at-work services are available?
Remain-at-work services include, but are not limited to:

• Ergonomic study;
• Job analysis;
• On-site therapy;
• Job modification;
• Tools and equipment.

What is the difference between a remain-at-work and a vocational rehab plan?
Remain-at-work plans are specially designed to keep injured workers on the job and to keep medical-only claims from becoming lost-time claims. Remain-at-work services are paid by the MCO like any other medical service.

Vocational rehab plans are for long-term disability claims where more aggressive case management is required. Vocational rehab services are paid out of the surplus fund and not charged against a specific claim.

What are the benefits of a remain-at-work program?
The greatest benefit for injured workers is maintaining employment status and regular wages. For employers, remain-at-work programs can help prevent medical-only claims from becoming lost-time claims. The average medical-only claim costs $700 while the average lost-time claim costs more then $37,000.

Where can I get more information on remain at work?
For more information on remain at work, call 1-800-OHIOBWC or the local customer service office.