You've heard us talk about this before, but it is so true. One small detail missed could easily end up costing $50,000 or more on a claim. Multiply that over a couple of dozen claims and you've wasted over a million dollars. Missing small details happens more often than you think. Here are a couple of recent examples to ponder...
Treating physician prescribes standing frame.
We were recently asked to provide an evaluation for a home modification for a new 23-year old paraplegic patient. The injured worker already has a manual wheelchair and the treating physician has prescribed a standing frame. Our rehab technician meets with the injured worker and his family in their home, which is a small condominium. The technician notices right way that the home will not accommodate a standing frame. He also notices that the patient is young and very active.
Our technician recommends a new manual wheelchair that allows the injured worker to stand anywhere he likes. While the equipment is expensive, it eliminates the need for a standing frame and the home modifications required to accommodate it. Most importantly, the new equipment provides the patient with a better quality of life, giving him the ability to stand at parties, concerts and other events. The injured worker and his family are overjoyed with the new equipment. A happy claimant with an improved quality of life is much less likely to litigate their claim...another significant level of cost savings.
If it doesn't fit, you must a-quit!
In another recent case, an injured worker was fitted for a power chair in a facility far from her home. When she got home, she was surprised to find that the new $55,000 power chair would not fit through the front door of her home. The payer had to spend another $45,000 on a new chair that did fit and was unable to return the original chair. Uh oh.
Just two claims - and over $100,000 in savings hidden amongst two very small details. It pays to have an experienced provider review the details of your claims. How much money are you losing on your complex claims?
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