The Benefits Administration Department reviews, verifies, approves and processes award related agreement forms, ensuring that such action is in the best interest of the injured worker.  Reviews, verifies and processes opinions, orders, compromise settlements and stipulations.  Rejects agreement forms when essential information is omitted or discrepancies are noted and makes appropriate follow-up on these problematic claims to ensure receipt of properly completed agreement forms.  Perform follow-up on expired claim call-ups and pre-contempt proceedings are initiated when the requested information is not timely received. 

Reviews and processes responses received from the claims adjusters relating to the 20-Day Order - Claim Filed and the 20-Day Order-Payments Made.  Performs follow-up with the parties in an effort to secure the agreement forms, and refers relevant claims to be placed on the hearing docket if efforts to secure the forms are exhausted.

Conduct a reconciliation of benefits awarded and paid by the insurance carrier and processes audit letters when an overpayment/underpayment is detected.  Reviews, verifies and determines whether discrepancies exist in claims where a variance order was issued and makes appropriate follow-up with the claims administrator, when necessary to reconcile payments made.

Responsible for calculating wage information to determine an injured worker’s pre-injury average weekly wage and assists the parties with resolving issues involving temporary partial disability benefits. 

Assist the parties with calculating the amount of interest and/or penalties which were awarded and due to the injured worker.