Program A: Injured Workers' Benefit Protection

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Program A: Injured Workers' Benefit Protection

Program Authorization: R. S. 23:1021

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The mission of the Injured Workers' Benefit Protection Program is to establish standards of payment as well as utilization and review procedures of injured worker claims; receive, process, hear and resolve legal actions on compliance to state statutes. It is also the mission of this program to educate and influence employers and employees to adopt comprehensive safety and health policies, practices and procedures; and collect fees.

The goals of the Injured Workers' Benefit Protection Program are:

1. Administer a financially sound program to meet current and future claim obligations.

2. Control medical costs.

3. Maximize the quality of care received by workers injured on the job.

4. Administer the resolution of workers’ compensation disputes in an efficient, timely, and impartial manner.

The Injured Workers' Benefit Protection Program includes the following activities: mediation and adjudication of all workers' compensation disputes; collection of statistical data on compensable occupational injuries and illnesses; determination of minimum and maximum allowable levels of compensation; development and implementation of medical utilization review procedures; development, implementation and administration of loss prevention safety and health programs; assistance to Louisiana employers with programs pursuant to code of federal regulations (OSHA Consultation); and administration of the Louisiana Cost Containment Program.

OBJECTIVES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Unless otherwise indicated, all objectives are to be accomplished during or by the end of FY 1999-2000. Performance indicators are made up of two parts: name and value. The indicator name describes what is being measured. The indicator value is the numeric value or level achieved within a given measurement period. For budgeting purposes, performance indicator values are shown for the prior fiscal year, the current fiscal year, and alternative funding scenarios (continuation budget level and Executive Budget recommendation level) for the ensuing fiscal year (the fiscal year of the budget document).

RESOURCE ALLOCATION FOR THE PROGRAM

SOURCE OF FUNDING

This program is funded with Statutory Dedications and Federal Funds. The Statutory Dedications are derived from the Worker Compensation Fund. (Per R.S. 39:32B. (8), see table below for a listing of expenditures out of each statutory dedicated fund). The Worker Compensation Fund receives revenues from an assessment on all insurance companies and self-insurer's writing worker's compensation insurance in Louisiana. Such assessments are a percentage of the amount reported in the annual reports. The Federal Funds are derived from an Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) statistical grant. This grant requires a 10% match from the Worker's Compensation Fund.

ANALYSIS OF RECOMMENDATION

GENERAL FUND	TOTAL	T.O.	DESCRIPTION

$0	$9,936,376	162	ACT 19 FISCAL YEAR 1998-1999

			BA-7 TRANSACTIONS:
$0	$96,059	3	Funding provided in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Consultation Section to fund three (3) positions to assist this section in becoming compliant with a cooperative agreement between the USDOL and DOL to provide resources to implement the approved grant agreement between the two parties

$0	$10,032,435	165	EXISTING OPERATING BUDGET – November 20, 1999

$0	($39,454)	0	Risk Management Adjustment
$0	$3,124	0	Rent in State-owned Buildings
$0	$352,348	0	Salary Base Adjustment
$0	($117,854)	0	Attrition
$0	$2,196	0	Civil Service Fees
$0	$354,273	0	Funding provided for leasing of equipment to complete the thin client expansion throughout the department

$0	$10,587,068	165	TOTAL RECOMMENDED

$0	$554,633	0	DIFFERENCE (TOTAL RECOMMENDATION AND EXISTING OPERATING BUDGET)

The total means of financing for this program is recommended at 106.0% of the existing operating budget. It represents 95.0% of the total request ($11,170,653) for this program. The 6% increase is due to providing funding for leasing of equipment to complete the thin client expansion throughout the department. This program did not have any vacant positions for 1 year or more.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

$50,000		Legal Medical-Review of claims for health care rates to insure accuracy and appropriateness
$285,000		Court Reporters to work with administrative law judges to provide on-site technical assistance in establishing rehabilitation review and monitoring system
$512,000		Bailiffs (off duty sheriff deputies to maintain security in courtroom for Administrative Law Judges in Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Franklinton, Houma, Harvey, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, New Orleans, and Shreveport districts)
$10,000		This provides assistance to citizens throughout Louisiana on information which may lead to an arrest and indictment; to receive information relating to workers' comp fraud from anonymous citizens/callers; and to provide cash rewards for information relating to Office of Workers' Compensation Fraud.
$8,000		This provides for an Occupational Safety Health Administration to install Microsoft Office that includes Word, Access and Excel that interfaces together Establishes a standard conversion method for importing National Council of Compensation Insurance data into Microsoft Access. Customize Access database software for retrieval and reporting purposes as stated in this contract.

$865,000		TOTAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

OTHER CHARGES

$38,103		Legislative Auditor
$48,073		Rent in State-owned Buildings

$86,176		TOTAL OTHER CHARGES

		Interagency Transfers:
$234,790		Department of Justice-Legal Services
$16,803		Department of Civil Service-Document Processing Fee
$11,905		Division of Administration-Comprehensive Public Training Program (CPTP)
$90,107		Office of Employment Security-Fraud investigation of Worker's Compensation Claims

$353,605		TOTAL INTERAGENCY TRANSFERS

ACQUISITIONS AND MAJOR REPAIRS

$68,000		Replacement of 20 Laptop P.C’s, and 20 Portable printers
$96,350		Funding provided for 20 desktop P.C’s and 10 laser printers

$164,350		TOTAL ACQUISITIONS AND MAJOR REPAIRS

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