By REBECCA A. SHAFER - June 2008

The first web-based workers' compensation management program has finally arrived. Employers now have the tools they need to cut workers' comp costs as much as 20% to 50% within months of implementation.

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I have been helping small, medium and large employers reduce their workers comp costs for twenty years. During that time, I have seen the same problems: most employers do not know how to "manage" the workers' comp process. Controlling workers' comp costs isn't rocket science, but many companies haven't focused in this area. And, many of the people buying insurance aren't professional risk managers.

Many companies will try the one-size-fits-all approach to workers' comp management and use materials developed by other companies. But this only works for the same type and size of companies with similar business structures, employee populations, and corporate cultures.

In response, we developed the Injury Management Tool Kit^TM, where employers of all types and sizes can get the tools they need to control their costs, located at www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.

Large companies sometimes get help from their insurance brokers, but not always. However, small and medium-sized employers are often left to fend for themselves, and do not have a comprehensive set of tools to control their claims. Until now.

Get Your Workers Comp Score in Less than One Hour

The Injury Management Tool Kit^TM is a revolutionary way of controlling workers' comp costs. Results are immediate, and companies can move into implementation within days. Ten years ago, when we lived in a hard-copy world, assessments would take upwards of six months to complete.

Now, if you are an employer, a broker, an insurance agency, or anyone with an interest in reducing your WC costs, you can get your WC Target Score^TM in ten critical cost control areas including post-injury response, fraud control, medical care coordination, transitional duty, insurance company/TPA relations, measuring success and others, and begin bridging gaps the same day.

The WC Target Score^TM is a standardized score, from 1 to 100, based on a set of multiple-choice questions covering the areas that are best-practice key cost drivers, plus safety (eliminating injuries is always the top priority).

Your score in turn generates Recommendations for Improvements. These are specific action steps detailed in a checklist format that give you a full range of solutions such as why and when you should visit your claims administrator's office, how to implement a return-to-work program, and strategies to control fraud and abuse. View a sample at: www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com/recommendations-for-improvement.php

You can track how many days it takes injured employees to return to work and build solutions that facilitate return to work, such as ongoing communication with injured employees and transitional-duty jobs. You will find out how to develop a Transitional Duty Job Bank, and receive guidelines for holding a weekly meeting with your injured employees.

The Injury Management Tool Kit^TM is a radical departure from the traditional way of helping employers control costs. Employers of all sizes can start implementing recommendations in one day. Hands-on virtual consulting means that a consultant is available when you are.

Measuring Success

You can work with your own team, at your own pace, in your own office, at a lower cost than if a consultant came to your facility for numerous, lengthy interview sessions. Dozens of divisions can get their WC Target Scores^TM at the same time and at the same cost as an in-person assessment at two or three locations. Each score is consistent and can be ranked against all others from that company. The same cost-containment techniques also work in many other countries, so we are now serving companies in the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

The 10-module Improvement Plan contains more than 60 form letters, sample employee policies, and brochures to structure injury-management procedures. Spanish versions of all documents are available.

All documents can be customized. A sample of tools can be seen in the Document Gallery on the home page of www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.

The Sales-To-Pay-For-Accidents Calculator tells you what workers' compensation is really costing your company. If a claim costs $15,000 and the company profit margin is 7%, it costs $214,285.00 to "replace" the money paid of that claim on the company's bottom line. Showing management the real cost of workers' compensation gets their commitment.

PowerPoint presentations complete with scripts can be adapted for all management levels to gain management commitment and train supervisors. Instructor scripts accompany the presentations. All materials are top-quality and customizable.

"The process is easy but thorough. Rebecca's breadth of experience helped us look at issues through a different lens and helped us consider alternatives we had overlooked. It's great news that this system is now web-based," says Wayne Cramer, former Risk Manager of Vivendi.

Licenses for large users are available, and the program is available for private labeling. Call or email for prices.

About the Author
Rebecca Shafer, is an attorney and risk consultant who specializes in workers' compensation cost containment. The former CEO of Aon's worker's compensation consulting unit, her articles have appeared in many risk management and business journals. For more information, including many free articles and links to state bureaus, visit www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com

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