Federal Workers’ Compensation Program
The Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) is the Worker’s Compensation program for Federal employees.
Collaborative case management process
FECA pays disability, survivors, and medical benefits, without fault, to employees who are injured or become ill in the course of their federal employment and the survivors of employees killed on the job. The FECA Program is administered by the Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Federal Workers Compensation Programs (OWCP) and the costs of benefits are paid by each employee’s host agency.
Centralized Claims Processing
WCC GOALS
- Provide superior service for injured workers and Agency personnel in a manner that is sensitive, responsive and effective
- Respect and protect injured workers’ rights to confidentiality and privacy
- Disclose information in accordance with DOL OWCP and HIPPA regulations
- Ensure timely and accurate claim submission while encouraging workplace safety and return to work
Our Centralized Workers Compensation Claims Processing Center is located in Annandale, Virginia in close proximity to our Federal client agencies. Our Center receives new claim filings, long-term cases and existing claim inventories providing professional case management assistance that is focused on quality service to injured employees while reducing program costs and the time that the employee is away from work. Communicating directly with Federal employees, medical providers and agency management, our case managers promote expedited return to work, prompt access to medical care, shorter lengths of disability and lower costs per claim.
Our staff of professional case managers, including FECA Subject Matter Experts, have years of experience in the Federal Workers’ Compensation program and have worked with numerous Federal Agencies in order to improve their program performance. First and foremost, our staff assists the injured employee and their agency. We respect and protect injured workers’ rights for confidentiality and privacy in accordance with DOL OWCP and HIPPA regulations. Our guiding principles are superior customer service, going above the call of duty, and early intervention.
Over the years, we have developed an outstanding reputation in the industry and have addressed the following requirements:
- Receipt of new claim filings
- Providing a higher standard of review and challenging unsubstantiated claims
- Automated case management system for agencies
- Chargeback Bill review
- Leave buy back assistance
- Monitoring use of COP
- Program reviews & short-term studies
- Training and advisory functions
- Real-time reporting capabilities for data management and customized report preparation
- Use of Nurses, where needed, to facilitate appropriate medical care and return to work
- Medical Reviews by Physicians
Management of Long-Term Cases
Because injury and illness can vary greatly in duration, employee disability cases may be described as either short-term or long-term. Long-term case management applies to employees who are unable to return to their regular job due to some manner of permanent disability or the need for long-term recovery. The benefits to which an employee receives are paid by the Agency through Chargeback Bill.
Returning employees to work after they have suffered on-the-job injuries can be a tremendous challenge, especially if the employee has been gone a long time and the Agency is not equipped with the right tools. Long-term disability cases often receive less OWCP attention than recent workers compensation case. We are actively engaged in the case management of long term cases, obtaining medical documents that properly support ongoing disability.
Case managers review files with no wage-earning capacity on an annual basis to identify education and re-employment opportunities. Utilizing “red flag” indicators we review cases for signs of fraudulent activity and if appropriate, refer the file for further review. Our case managers work proactively with agency supervisors, OWCP staff and assigned medical personnel to establish expectations for light duty and work toward achieving resolution.
WCC Medical Case Management
Medical reports are the pillars of workers compensation claims; they are proof of an injury, they reveal the extent of an injury, and they inform a request for treatment.
When a patient consults with a physician, there is an expectation of appropriate and effective medical treatment. We evaluate the medical authenticity of each claim including whether treatment was medically necessary and appropriate. WCC ensures that, where appropriate, a trained medical professional (nurse) works with our Case Manager to facilitate appropriate medical care, identify obstacles to recovery and ultimately focus on returning an individual to work.
Our Medical Review Physicians are available to consult on select cases to ensure the disabled worker receives the appropriate medical care aimed at rehabilitation and return-to-work. The Medical Review Physician is able to provide case evaluation and medical record review so that WCC and the Agency can drive movement in each case depending on the findings and determine the next steps to take.
Return to Work Programs
Federal agencies face many obstacles that stand in the way of a successful Return to Work (RTW) program.
Our staff has expertise in dealing with a complex return to work issues and can overcome these challenges by working cooperatively with the agency and OWCP. WCC employs a number of Best Practices that include early contact with employees, the provision of modified work positions for short-term injuries and the participation of agency management.
We identify work restrictions that can result in the need for temporary or permanent modification of duty or sometimes a new position A successful return to work is recorded by DOL OWCP when the injured worker returns to the employing Agency within the two-year tracking period.
Agency Cost Savings
WCC’s effective Workers Compensation Program produces cost savings for Federal Agencies.
The FECA program is financed by the Employee Compensation Fund which consists of funds appropriated by Congress. Each Federal Agency is assigned the costs for compensation and medical payments for work-related injuries by a mechanism called “The Chargeback System”. Our review of agency Chargeback Reports results in identification of coding errors and improper compensation and medical cost payments generated by OWCP. WCC is actively involved in the process with DOL to ensure the corrections are made which decreases the cost to the agency.
Specialized Services
WCC offers a number of specialized program services tailored to the specific needs of each agency that include assessments of current programs, chargeback bill reviews, as well as training and education programs.
Client Testimonials
We want to thank Workers’ Compensation Center for their patient and prompt responses to our employees. WCC has provided excellent support to them.
National Gallery of Art
Workers’ Compensation Center provides expert help on case files which is invaluable. We cannot thank WCC enough.
Department of Veterans Affairs
Workers’ Compensation Center provides excellent support and have been a tremendous help.
Department of Veterans Affairs
We are very appreciative to have a contract with Workers’ Compensation Center. They return calls and emails typically in less than 2 hours and get right on any problem we need assistance with. We are very grateful for their expertise and calm demeanor when we are needing assistance.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
You certainly have more than fulfilled your role! I very much appreciate the assistance.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Workers Compensation Center, LLC
7010 Little River Turnpike, Suite 450 Annandale, VA 22003
Phone: (703) 663-7305 | Fax: (703) 941-8965
All Rights Reserved © 2021 Workers Compensation Center, LLC . Design by G4 Design House.