Handling Disputed Claims (CARE 2.0)

Accelerated Resolutions of Disputed Claims

To help our customers avoid unnecessary claims costs, CompWest developed a legal strategy for handling disputed cases. Our CompWest Accelerated Resolution Effort, CARE 2.0, was created to accelerate resolution of disputed litigated claims. CARE 2.0 helps minimize unnecessary medical treatment, avoid massive medical lien balances and limit extended disability periods while the case is routed through the legal system.

With CARE 2.0, 95% of disputed claims will settle before going to trial. In addition, early resolution means:

• Less case exposure and fewer potential liens.
• CompWest can quickly move the file to close.
• Early settlement costs are less than a later settlement.
• The scope of the award can typically be limited.

CARE 2.0 not only reduces the cost of individual claims, but also lowers experience modification rates by capping the exposure with a quick settlement rather than watching the claim play out for multiple years.

Benefits:

• CompWest medical networks contain experienced occupational medical physicians.
• Every customer has immediate access to an assigned claims adjuster, as our adjusters have low caseloads to provide responsive customer service.
• We embrace injured employees and work to expedite their recovery.
• CompWest uses a specialized medical network with in-house utilization review and medical resources to accelerate medical treatment while reducing the costs involved.
• Our multilingual claims specialists can better care for injured workers whose first language is not English.
• Our Investigative Services Unit (ISU) identifies and assists in workers’ compensation fraud prevention.