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 City Council and sufficient budget appropriations. The contract specifications outline all deliverables.
Bid Information: The Department of Human Resources, Employee Benefits / Risk Management Section initially submitted a Request for Proposal (RFQ 002283) for an independent medical examiner in July, 2016; bids were due and opened August 25, 2016. One response was received for this program; the proposal was evaluated by a committee consisting of personnel from the Department of Human Resources and subsequently deemed not acceptable, due to the firm’s lack of presence in Ohio and completeness of reports. The evaluation of the proposal was based upon defined criteria included in the RFP and the requirements of relevant sections of Columbus City Codes, Chapter 329.
A second Request for Proposal (RFQ 002748) was submitted September 2, 2016 and bids were opened September 29, 2016. The same committee of human resource professionals evaluated the proposals and, based upon defined criteria included in the RFP and the requirements of relevant sections of Columbus City Codes, Chapter 329, recommended a three (3) year contract be awarded to Medical Evaluators, LLC.
Fiscal Impact: Sufficient funds are budgeted within the Department of Human Resources 2017 employee benefits fund budget. This modification is for $26,000.00 which brings the total contract cost to date to $51,500.00; the first ordinance was 2910-2016.
Emergency Action: Emergency action is requested to allow claims to begin being reviewed for cost savings as soon as possible.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Human Resources Department to modify and extend the existing contract with Medical Evaluators, LLC to assist the city with administration of the workers’ compensation program by providing independent medical examinations and/or file reviews through March 31, 2019; to authorize the expenditure of $26,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to pay the cost of said contract; and to declare an emergency. ($26,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the City of Columbus to modify and extend the existing contract with Medical Evaluators, LLC to provide independent medical examinations and/or file review consulting services in an effort to assist the city with cost saving strategies in regards to workers’ compensation claims through March 31, 2019; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the expenditure of $26,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to pay contract costs for independent medical examination services and/or file reviews of workers’ compensation claims; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Department of Human Resources in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to modify and extend the existing contract with Medical Evaluators, LLC, thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; Now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Human Resources Department is hereby authorized to contract with Medical Evaluators, LLC to assist with the workers’ compensation program by providing independent medical examinations and/or file reviews through March 31, 2019.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $26,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby authorized from the employee benefits fund 5502, subfund 550201; Human Resources Department, Division No. 46-01, Object Class 03 Services, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 4. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage, if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.