News and Analysis
BWC Administrator Outlines 2018 Focus: Wellness and Workplace Safety
January 5, 2018In this blog, Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) Administrator Sarah Morrison, describes the agency’s push for wellness and safety in 2018.
She writes: “An overwhelming amount of research shows us that a healthy lifestyle leads to wellness in virtually every facet of our lives, including the workplace. BWC’s new wellness program will offer Ohio workers in small businesses a variety of services. Details are being finalized, but the program will offer services such as health risk assessments, biometric screenings, personalized health plans and coaching, chronic disease management and more. This is geared to help workers live a healthy, balanced life – factors that can prevent injury, or recover more quickly if they are hurt on the job.”
And, “Safety will continue to take center stage in 2018. … To increase the awareness of the importance of safety, we will introduce a public health and safety campaign focused on preventing slips, trips and falls, overexertions and motor vehicle accidents (all of which make up about 60 percent of our injured worker claims each year).” 1/4/2018
BWC Implements Back Surgery Rule
January 5, 2018OMA Connections Partner, Bricker & Eckler, posts about a new lumbar fusion surgery rule: “Effective January 1, 2018, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) has a new rule for when injured workers can request lumbar fusion surgery, as well as requirements that must be met prior to seeking authorization for such a procedure …”
“This rule was created, in part, as a response to the current opiate crisis that exists in Ohio. According to the BWC, 68 percent of lumbar fusion surgeries are unsuccessful. This leaves the majority of injured workers who utilize this type of treatment unhappy and dependent on pain killers, such as opioids. In an effort to reduce this risk, the BWC is requiring injured workers to engage in conservative care management for at least 60 days, except in specific cases. It is hoped that this approach will enable workers with low back pain to benefit from non-surgical interventions and return to work more quickly, reserving lumbar fusion surgery for only the few that require it.”
Read more from Bricker here. 1/2/2018