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During fiscal year 2013, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) closed 2,000 workers comp fraud cases and saved the state $55 million, according a report from the BWC’s Special Investigations Department.
“Over the past year, we have stepped our efforts to respond to allegations, actively search for signs of fraud, address prescription drug abuse and identify fraud by providers,” said Steve Buehrer, CEO and administrator for the Ohio BWC.
Specifically, the BWC ordered 140 criminal convictions and referred 236 cases for prosecution. There were 915 cases that included an element of fraud or identified means of saving money on workers compensation.
Working While Receiving Workers Comp Constitutes Fraud
Working while receiving workers compensation benefits accounted for 28.9 percent of fraud complaints during the time, and 22.8 percent of complaints focused on unnecessarily prescribed drugs.
New tools and more staff members helped the BWC crack down on fraud, according to the Columbus Dispatch. New devices allowed investigators to search twice the amount of data from last year, including information posted on social media outlets. Shawn Fox, a BWC agent, said that every dollar spent on investigating claims of workers comp fraud saved the bureau $5.
We are glad to see that the BWC has identified new savings to benefit people who legitimately require workers compensation benefits. Please contact us if you suffered a serious injury at work; we can walk you through the entire process and help you maximize your chances of an approved claim. Call 614-221-7548 to schedule your free consultation today.
Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC – Columbus workers comp lawyers
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