March 6, 2018

Maintaining a safe workplace and enrolling in our health care network, WorkWell, TX are two of the best ways to control your costs, but promptly getting injured workers the care they need has an impact as well. Focusing on an injured worker's wellbeing isn't just good for them; it's good for your bottom line. When an injury is treated in a timely manner and by a preferred network physician, injured workers tend to have a more successful recovery and costs are more likely to be contained.

We've made a five-point toolkit for employers to help their injured workers. You'll find details below on adopting a return-to-work policy, enrolling in the network, finding network doctors, using the First Fill program, and understanding your role in the claims process.

Using these tools can help control costs and get employees back to work quicker:

1. Return to work
Helping injured workers get back on the job and back to a productive life is a significant part of what we do at Texas Mutual. Being away from a team environment while recovering can lower morale, and from the business owner's perspective, it can affect productivity. It's important to communicate to your employees what your company's position is on return to work.

Here's why return to work works:

  • The longer you are off work, the less likely you are to return to productive employment. After six months, you have only a 50 percent chance of rejoining the workforce.
  • Research shows that working is an important part of the healing process.

We understand that return to work is not only best for an employer, it's best for the injured worker as well. We offer resources to help our policyholders come up with a return-to-work plan for all their employees. Learn how to create a return-to-work program and find return-to-work resources on texasmutual.com.

2. The claims process
Getting workers well and back on the job is a team effort and employers play a significant role in the process. Understanding your role in the claims process will help you support your employee and work with Texas Mutual.

Find resources below to help you with the claims process:

3. Enroll in the network
Our health care network, WorkWell, TX, is one way we support our return-to-work philosophy. In WorkWell, TX, Texas Mutual contracts directly with providers, allowing us to source the highest quality medical providers who share a commitment to helping your workers return to a productive life. Enrolling in the network is an option available to all Texas Mutual policyholders. Learn more about WorkWell, TX.

4. Find a network doctor
As we mentioned above, our new network, WorkWell, TX, was built with the highest quality providers who have experience in occupational medicine. Injured workers can easily find a network provider with our online directory or with our Texas Mutual app, giving them quick access to finding the care they need.

Texas Mutual's network app makes it possible to find care for workers at any time, whether in the office or at a job site. The app also offers informational, easy-to-access videos about the claims process that employers can use for training purposes or in the event of an injury.

5. First Fill Program
Our First Fill Program, which launched in 2015, enables injured employees to get prescribed medication quickly after an injury occurs, even if their employer hasn't had the opportunity to file a claim. Injured workers can get a seven-day supply for each covered prescription, up to $500 per prescription, with just the First Fill form. The form can be found in the Forms section under the Employers tab at texasmutual.com.

A workplace injury can be stressful for everyone involved, but focusing on the employee and having tools that help simplify the situation are key to encouraging a full recovery. Visit texasmutual.com for more return-to-work resources and to learn more about the claims process.