Medical Benefits
One of the most important aspects of the workers' compensation system is the provision of medical benefits for workplace injuries or occupational diseases. Medical benefits may be administered by a managed care organization. Self-insurers may administer their own medical payments. For more information about the payment of medical benefits, click here.Our Guide to Ohio Workers' Compensation Medical Benefits provides more information about medical benefits. Our case index provides summaries of medical decisions by Ohio courts with links to the cases.
Other Information:
- Administrative: ACS State Healthcare
has replaced RxNet as the pharmaceutical benefits manager for state
fund claims. Their address is: ACS State Healthcare, Northridge Center
One, 365 Northridge Rd., Suite 400, Atlanta, GA 30350. (September, 2002)
- Court: The Supreme Court has held that
a doctor's report supported the Commission's decision to authorize
surgery, even though the doctor indicated pessimism about the success
of the surgery. (May, 2002)
- Court: On July 18, 2001, the Ohio
Supreme Court held in Northwest Ohio Bldg. and Construction Trades
Council v. Conrad, that the method used to fund the MCO system was
constitutional. (August, 2001)
- Court: A Court of Appeals' Magistrate
found that medical treatment that produces a temporary benefit can be
reasonably necessary to treat an injury and ruled that the Commission
improperly denied medical treatment because it would not provide
"lasting benefits." (May, 2001)
- Court: Court of Appeals finds MCO program improperly funded. (March 2000)
- Court: Supreme Court rules MCO program
consitutional. (February 2000)
- Administrative: BWC regulation changes
affecting MCO appeals and vocational rehabilitation. (January, 1999)
- Court: Common Pleas judge upholds MCO
program. (October, 1998)
- Administrative: The BWC has new
medical "treatment plan approval guidelines", which will be effective
on June 1, 1998. (May, 1998)
- Court: A case has been filed in the
Ohio Supreme Court challenging the practice of permitting Managed Care
Organizations (MCOs) to terminate medical treatment in workers'
compensation claims. (May, 1998)
- Court: Lawsuit challenging MCO
procedure transferred to Franklin County. (September, 1997)
- Court: On June 30, 1997, a case challenging the BWC MCO procedure was filed in the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas. The case is called Northwest Ohio Bldg. and Construction Trades Council v. Conrad. The case asks for declaratory judgment, as well as a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to stop enforcement, implementation or application of statutes dealing with managed care for workers' compensation. The suit claims that the MCO procedure violates Art. II, Sec. 35 of the Ohio Constitution. (June, 1997)