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Published on Oct 17
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There’s no denying that mental health plays an important part in the physical health of your employees. While Ohio workers’ compensation law only allows for physical injury or disease claims, injured workers who experience a mental illness or condition caused by a workplace injury or disease may be able to seek coaching or counseling services from mental health and behavioral intervention service providers. Understanding the timing and cause of the mental health issue can help the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation make the best determination for the treatment of your injured worker.
Mental health claims
For claims to be allowed under Ohio workers’ compensation law, a physical injury or disease must have been caused by accidental means during the course of employment. If no physical injury or disease exists, there can be no claim. Therefore, mental health claims on their own are not allowed. The BWC carefully evaluates and researches all claims to make a determination on the causality of the injury.
What qualifies
When a psychological issue is triggered by a workplace injury or disease, therapy and other mental health services may be included as part of the claim costs. Examples of these types of mental health issues include stress-related heart attacks and depression triggered by brain damage.
Workers suffering from stress-related mental health issues without a physical injury are generally not entitled to workers’ compensation coverage. These mental health injuries are generally not accepted and do not entitle the worker to workers’ compensation coverage for medical care or benefits.
Providers you can trust
Depression, anxiety, and stress can be triggered by workplace physical injury, chronic medical conditions caused by the work being performed, or disease caused by workplace exposure. Treatment costs for the injury and the resulting mental health condition, including therapy and medication, may be covered as part of an overall injury claim.
Partnering with a provider who is familiar with work-related injuries and workers’ compensation rules is critical to ensuring that your injured worker gets the best possible course of treatment, helping to return injured workers’ back to the job faster. The physician of record plays a significant role in helping injured workers who are suffering from a mental health condition as the result of a workplace injury. Working with an MCO that has access to a large and trusted network of medical providers with vast experience in work-related injuries is essential to keeping claims cost low while also ensuring that injured workers receive the highest quality care. To learn more about the importance of working with a provider network you can trust, check out Making the Most of Your MCOs Provider Network.
A partner you can trust
Your MCO serves both your company and your employees. Having a partner in your corner that you trust to look out for the best interests of your employees while returning them to work quickly and keeping your workers’ compensation costs down is vital to the success of your business. An MCO partner like Sheakley UniComp can guide you and your injured workers through the often confusing world of workers’ compensation, helping them return to work quickly and safely.
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