Explanation
BACKGROUND: The Department of Human Resources, Employee Benefits/Risk Management section, requires services to assist with the workers’ compensation program by providing independent medical examinations and/or file reviews. Currently, the City does not employ any entity/person to perform independent medical examinations, although a part-time doctor housed in the Occupational Safety and Health clinic occasionally provides file reviews as time permits. It has been determined that there is the potential for significant cost savings to the city for workers’ compensation claims if the city can avail itself on examinations to be performed whenever necessary. The city currently averages 1,100 active workers’ compensation claims, of which approximately 30% are lost time claims.
The selected contractor will schedule doctor specialists to perform independent medical examinations to include the following services:
Analyze medical reports, diagnostic testing, historical data and mechanism of injury.
Prepare medical reports opining to a reasonable degree of medical certainty as to various issues upon request including, but not limited to, the compensability of the claim, whether compensation is appropriate, the extent of disability and the appropriateness of additional conditions, and render an opinion on medical treatment.
Maintain accurate records.
Respond timely to any and all City requests.
This ordinance authorizes and directs the Director of Human Resources to modify and extend the current contract for independent medical services for the City of Columbus with Medical Evaluators, LLC, and to authorize the expenditure of $26,000.00 to be paid out of the employee benefits fund in the Human Resources Department. The term of the contract is from the contract enforcement date until March 31, 2019, a three-year period. This ordinance represents the second year of the current contract. Extension of the contract in year three is subject to approval of Cit...
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