Workers' Compensation Insurance

What is workers’ compensation insurance?

Workers’ compensation, sometimes called workers’ comp or work comp, is an employer-employee-based insurance policy that pays medical expenses, lost income and disability benefits for an employee who sustains a work-related injury or illness.

As a certified professional employer organization to small businesses, Axcet HR Solutions provides risk management services that include a master workers’ compensation program. The program offers several advantages over policies small and mid-sized companies typically procure from insurance brokers. Axcet’s program:

• Eliminates the need for client companies to shop for and evaluate workers’ compensation polices and providers each year because Axcet manages all aspects of annual renewals.
• Requires no down payment.
• Allows pay-as-you-go billing.
• Eliminates the year-end policy audit (which, with traditional policies, often leads to additional premium being owed or returned).

Beyond the policy advantages, the greatest value of Axcet’s workers’ compensation program to clients is what they gain from working with us: expertise, ownership of the claims process, smart counsel and unparalleled attention and responsiveness. Our risk management team is made up of highly experienced professionals who understand the negative impact injuries can have on a small business. Our team manages claims to reduce the numerous exposures associated with a workplace injury.

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Experienced, in-house claims management

Having worked in the industry for decades, Axcet HR Solutions’ professionals have handled all kinds of workers’ compensation claims. Our experts thoroughly understand the workers’ comp system. Because few small businesses have this expertise on their own teams, it’s not uncommon for claims to be managed ineffectively when they go it alone – a situation that leads to disgruntled employees, lower productivity and higher overall costs.

Axcet’s claims team:

• Works directly with the injured worker, medical providers, claims adjusters and, when appropriate, attorneys to coordinate all aspects of the claims process while keeping you apprised of progress.
• Manages claims effectively and efficiently to minimize cost. This, in turn, reduces the overall impact to insurance prices related to workplace injuries.

Axcet’s pros already are insurance and claims experts, so you don’t have to be. 

Injury management protocols and consulting

An effective injury management protocol is a strategic and holistic approach that integrates all aspects needed to minimize the impact of a workplace injury. Implementing an injury management protocol, which includes administrative procedures, medical treatment, rehabilitation and employer best practices, helps achieve ideal outcomes and a safe, long-term return to work for injured employees.

Clients that are part of Axcet’s workers’ compensation program benefit from efficient, time-tested protocols, beginning with reporting the claim and identifying appropriate medical professionals, through cost-effectively resolving the claim.

In every case of a work-related injury or illness, Axcet acts as the liaison with our client, the injured employee, medical providers, claims adjusters and, if necessary, attorneys.

Rather than clients having to deal with these third parties, Axcet’s claims management team is the single point of contact.

Accident compensability and fraud investigation

Just because an accident happens at a worksite doesn’t necessarily mean the employee has a valid claim the workers’ compensation policy will cover. Clients can lean on Axcet’s experience to apply state-specific laws to determine whether a claim qualifies for payment.

Axcet’s claims management team reviews all reported workplace injuries. Having evaluated thousands of claims over the years, Axcet’s team recognizes red flags and investigates suspicious reports. This attention to detail protects our clients and our carrier from paying non-compensable or fraudulent claims.

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Medical provider management

Some states, including Kansas and Missouri, allow the employer to direct an injured employee’s medical care. Drawing on strong relationships with physicians who also know the workers’ compensation system, Axcet recommends excellent doctors, including specialists. These experts can confirm diagnoses, write work restrictions specific to employees’ injuries and assist with compensability issues to ensure small business clients get accurate information about the nature of injuries and correct treatments.

Equally important, clients avoid health care providers who are not reputable. Axcet’s expertise results in better care for the injured employee and protects the company.

Claims cost containment

Axcet helps smaller companies contain workers’ compensation claims costs by coaching clients to use the right network providers at the right time, to avoid using emergency rooms when they are not necessary and to get appropriate medical attention for injured workers without sacrificing cost-effectiveness.

Small companies that don’t work with Axcet may make expensive mistakes, like authorizing an employee to see a physician who isn’t in the network or familiar with the workers’ compensation system. Such decisions usually are made with good intentions, but result in increased claims costs – which, in turn, cause the employer’s workers’ compensation insurance premiums to rise.

Working with Axcet gives smaller companies direction on cost-effective decision-making that stabilizes costs and eliminates premium shocks.

Return-to-work policies and procedures development and consulting

Axcet is both an employer and employee advocate. We want injured workers to get the best medical care possible so they can heal and return to work.

After a work-related injury or illness, getting employees back to work as quickly as possible enhances their emotional wellbeing, boosts their physical healing and maintains their engagement with the employer. Small businesses who set the stage for this return to productivity, even on a limited scale, reduce their exposure to poor (read: expensive) claims outcomes.

Axcet’s claims management team communicates directly with doctors to clarify work restrictions and help clients modify job responsibilities so employees can work in a limited capacity without risk of additional injury until they receive a full-duty release from their doctors.

Substance abuse policy and procedures development

Employees who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs at work are a danger to themselves and others. A substance abuse policy is the first step in maintaining a drug-free workplace.

If an employee has an accident and was under the influence at the time, Axcet helps determine if the claim can be denied under state regulations. Besides handling such claims, our workers’ compensation claims managers can engage our in-house HR colleagues to help clients decide whether an employee who is known to be abusing drugs or alcohol should be disciplined or terminated – and to ensure that all such situations are handled consistently.

Often, a workplace injury leads to the discovery of additional employment exposures. Axcet’s team consults with clients to mitigate and manage these ancillary risks.

Let’s start a conversation about how Axcet HR
can help you with Workers' Compensation »

Litigation management

When a workers’ compensation claim results in litigation, it is important for the defense counsel to equally represent the interests of the employer and the insurance carrier – but, with traditional insurance policies, that situation does not always occur. Axcet hand-selects trusted defense counsel to represent those interests. This allows our claims management team to ensure the defense counsel has a complete understanding of the claim from the employer’s perspective.

Axcet’s workers’ compensation management team reviews claims and medical records and knows them inside out, then sits right next to the attorney during claimant depositions and in court. This involvement reduces expensive mistakes and leads to more cost-effective outcomes.