Home health care and hospice workers face a number of hazards that can result in injuries and Workers’ Compensation claims. This includes strains, sprains, and back injuries due to lifting and other strenuous activities; slips and falls; infections and diseases as result of exposure to poor indoor air quality, lead paint, toxic substances, and other domestic hazards at patients’ homes; and violent injuries as a result of interaction with an agitated, incoherent, or impaired patient.
To help home health care and hospice providers mitigate the cost of Workers’ Compensation insurance for a safer workplace environment and to protect the bottom line of the organization, take a look at our white paper, “Controlling Workers’ Compensation Costs: Tips for the Home Healthcare & Hospice Industry.”
Some of tips discussed in the white paper include:
- Ensuring employers understand how their Workers’ Compensation insurance premiums are calculated, which includes the organization’s classification, individual employee class codes, and payroll and the provider’s experience modification factor (ex-mod factor)
- An employer should make sure that its classification codes and estimated payroll amounts are accurate so there are no surprises at the year-end audit conducted by the carrier to reconcile all the information provided. Any operational or payroll changes throughout the year should be provided to you, the provider’s insurance agent. Providers should also understand how their ex-mod factor, the benchmark used to compare their loss history to like companies in their industry, impacts their premium moving forward for three years.
- The impact of medical-only claims versus paid lost-time benefits (wages) on an employer’s loss experience
- Creating a safe work environment, which includes having an established safety program this comprises educational resources, employee pre-screening practices, employee training, and safety protocols
- Recognizing and controlling common industry hazards – from patient handling and lifting to materials handling, needle injuries, and driver-related injuries
- The importance of a return-to-work program in helping to drive down Workers’ Compensation costs
- Reporting claims promptly along with the required information when a worker is injured on the job
It’s also important to choose the right Workers’ Compensation insurance carrier. The carrier should be able to assist in helping to identify and control industry-related occupational injuries and illnesses, provide prompt claims handling, facilitate cost-effective medical care, assist with return-to-work programs, and more.
Download and share our Workers’ Compensation white paper with your insureds.
Manchester Specialty Programs specializes in providing agents and brokers with totally integrated business insurance solutions to meet the needs of Home Care, Allied Health, and Human/Social Services organizations. For more information about how our products and services can help protect your insureds and how we recognize accredited firms, please contact us at 855.972.9399.