February 11, 2007

USW Local #890L and State Workers’ Comp. System

As we start a new year, those of us at Titan Tire are learning how to deal with a new Workers' Comp. system. Under Continental Tire our work related injuries were covered under the Self-Insured system, which meant that the employer administrated the system. We are now covered under the State Funded program, the same as the Bryan Eagles and Bryan Metals. Under State Funded Workers' Comp. the system is administrated by an MCO ( managed care organization) and the BWC (Bureau of Workers' Compensation). The MCO for Titan is CareWorks; for the Eagles it is CompManagement; and Bryan Metals is Sheakley Unicomp.. The MCO's process all the paperwork in your claim, not your employer. The MCO's pre-approve and authorize all of your Medical. The BWC takes care of your compensable pay. For those of us at Titan this means one big change, we no longer have a free choice of Doctors. They now have to be BWC certified or Pre-Approved. So you now will be required to stay within a Network. Most local physicians are certified.

Since we are now all under the same system I would like to help everyone understand the basics:

1. Report your injury as soon as possible and record it with your employer.
    e.g.: Accident Report or Incident Report
2. Seek treatment as necessary.
    a. Initial visit - In the ER you can see any Doctor
    b. Initial appointment - It has to be a BWC certified Doctor
3. The MCO needs to be contacted
    a. Titan Tire - CareWorks
    b. Bryan Metals - Sheakley Unicomp.
    c. Bryan Eagles - CompManagement
4. Contact someone with the Union or call the office an ask to talk to me.
    a. we can help you find out what is happening with your claim
    b. we can make sure you know what paperwork needs to be filled out

Those are the four big ones that will get you started with the original injury. The one important thing to remember your Employer has very little to do with your claim, other than to find work for you while you are injured or under a Doctors care. All decisions on your Health Care and Compensable Pay are done by the MCO and BWC. That is why your paperwork is so important.
Even after you have returned to work there are issues to be addressed to keep your claim active. So don't hesitate to contact the Union or myself.

Titan Tire members only - Under the terms of our Collective Bargaining Agreement we now have provisions for paying you 80% of your 40 hour weekly wage while you are unable to work. This starts from day one. But, again, more paperwork. It has been my experience so far that if everything is filed promptly, we have had no major problems.
Remember - First contact, call us.

Dan Hohenberger, USW Local #890L Workers’ Compensation Representative

Dan can be reached on his cell phone at: 419/439-0732 or by email at: dhohenberger@uswlocal890l.org

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