Historical WCB Claims can be a Source of WCB Cost Savings
Ok, so you’ve made sure that your business is classified in the correct industry, at the correct rate and you’ve made sure that an new and current claims are under control and being managed in a timely manner, is there anything else you can do to ensure that your WCB costs are as low as they can be? Perhaps there is, a review of a claim from a historical perspective can identify areas of WCB cost savings, relief or cost removal on older claims and even claims that have been closed. Any reduction in WCB claims costs can have a positive impact on WCB premiums, which in turn can result in lower premiums and even premium refunds for prior years.
Confirming that all the costs associated with a claim are directly related to the injury sustained on that claim ensures that an employer is not being overcharged, wrongly charged or unfairly charged. Making sure that decisions on a claim have been made in accordance with WCB policies and that WCB procedures have been followed and applied appropriately ensures that a claim has been handled properly by the WCB and that no extra, additional or irrelevant charges have been incurred.
Reviewing a claim from its inception can identify a variety of documentation and information that might result in cost saving situations. There may be medical reports indicating an injured worker has a pre-existing or concurrent condition that has prolonged their period of recovery or that any or all of time loss from work is not supported. There may be evidence that third party action or a transfer of costs due to another employer’s negligence should be investigated. There may be new information on a claim that affects or brings new perspective on previous decisions made on a claim, as well as a number of other potential cost saving situations that could be overlooked.
Is there a time limit for reviewing a claim
The WCB has a statute of limitations, regarding the review of any decision made on a claim, of one year from the date the decision was made, so it is important to review historical claims in a timely fashion. Sometimes a simple letter to the WCB can address these issues and result in a positive outcome and sometimes it is necessary to proceed with an appeal to the Dispute Resolution and Decision Review Body (DRDRB) and Appeal’s Commission (AC) before the issue is resolved. Although new evidence or information on a claim can be used as an arugment to review a decision made after the statute of limitations has expired, there are strict conditions on what is considered new and relevant information
Appealing a decision can be a long and arduous process. Knowing exactly how the process works, what information the appeals bodies are looking for and what they find relevant can simplify things and increase the chances of a positive outcome. Although any decision made by the WCB can be appealed, knowing which ones have the greatest possiblity of success can save valuable time, resources and money.
What can BCL do
Historical Claim Review can be time consuming and requires an in depth knowledge of WCB policies and procedure however, if successful, the impact that the cost savings can have on WCB premiums is well worth the time and energy invested. BCL’s Historical Cost Recovery Review Team has the expertise and experience to identify potential areas of cost relief and/or cost removal and will scrutinize claims as far back as four years. This review ensures no unnecessary costs are assessed against your account and no opportunities for cost recovery are overlooked. Even if no recoveries are realized, this review will ensure your WCB costs are justified and since the review is done on a contingency basis, the initial review has cost you nothing.
When potential cost savings are identified, BCL can provide advice on whether an appeal of a decision has any realistic expectation of positive results and can provide appeal preparation and representation if requested.
Check out our Historical Cost Recovery Review program and our Appeal Preparation and Presentation to get more information or you can contact us directly by calling 1-844-377-9545 or using our chat feature during business hours. You can also connect with us on our Facebook page, through our Twitter account, on our LinkedIn profile and you can always email us at [email protected] or at [email protected].
