Workers’ Comp Lawyers’ Blog

Paperless System Tested to Speed Up Workers’ Comp Approval

This summer, the State Compensation Insurance Fund announced that it would fund development of updated software that will expedite approvals for medical care in the workers compensation system. Medical providers in California will test the new software shortly, with the goal being to obtain authorizations for patient treatments in real-time rather than waiting for decisions to arrive via facsimile.

Testing Paperless Workers’ Comp System

The State Compensation Insurance Fund is California’s second largest workers compensation insurer. It provides insurance to employees in both the public and private sector who can’t obtain workers compensation insurance from commercial carriers. Current estimates indicate that around 11% of California workers are insured through the State Fund, which processes tens of thousands of claims each year. An agency spokesman estimated that currently there are somewhere near 85,000 open claims.

UR Connected, is a a revolutionary “paperless” utilization review solution, being tested by the State Compensation Insurance Fund – in hopes of reducing paperwork, accelerating access to medical care, and smoothing out the workers comp process. If the program  is a success with The State Compensation Insurance Fund is hoped that other insurers will soon implement it.

UR Connected was designed by Conexia, a software development company. The State Fund has tasked them with ensuring that the UR Connected system will smoothly integrate with the various information systems in use by doctors, hospitals and others in the workers comp paperwork chain. Their initial target after being implemented with State Fund will be high-volume medical practitioners.

What UR Connected Will Do for Workers Comp

The key objective that governs UR Connected is to enable physicians to request treatment and receive approvals or denials in real time. It also informs the physician if there is a need for utilization review. During the utilization review, insurers evaluate whether a specific treatment complies with evidence-based medical standards of care, whether the insurer’s policy covers it, and an analysis of the cost as compared to the benefit to the patient.

Under the new UR Connected system, medical procedures could receive approval while the patient is still receiving his or her examination. In terms of utilization review, it would greatly expedite the process in that the required information would be sent to appropriate persons far more quickly than under the current procedures.

The biggest benefit to the workers comp patients of Ur Connected Paperless System is faster issuance and processing of their medical records, diagnosis, treatment plans, etc. – which should result in getting the necessary paperwork through the workers comp approval process more rapidly.

The UR Connected system is also eagerly anticipated by medical personnel. With the new system, they will be able to reduce paperwork and the time it takes to fill it out. That gives them more time to work with their patients. While manual tasks will never completely be eliminated, the State Fund hopes that eventually perhaps 70-80% of providers will adopt UR Connected, with more to follow as the system gains traction in the marketplace.

Long Beach Workers Comp Lawyers

While the UR System is not widely available yet, our experienced Long Beach Workers Comp Lawyers have high hopes that this may help accelerate workers comp approvals in the not-too-distant future.

The Long Beach area law firm of Cantrell Green is highly experienced in the area of workers compensation and disability, and have been protecting workers’ rights for over 45 years. If you have experienced injury or illness as a result of your job, seeking the advice of qualified attorneys such as those at Cantrell Green will help you understand your rights and receive the compensation and benefits that you deserve. If you live in Orange County or the greater Los Angeles area, call Cantrell Green today for a free consultation to see what benefits may be available to you.

Long Beach Workers Comp lawyersFREE CONSULTATION: 800-964-8047