More state Workers Compensation Boards are moving away from paper filing to electronic data interchange (EDI) systems, and Indiana’s Board is no exception. Most recently, the Board added the Application for Adjustment of Claim to the list of its required electronic forms; it will no longer accept paper versions of this form. The Board continues to emphasize compliance and has increased enforcement through penalties for late filings.
We recommend that employers and administrators check with their EDI vendor to ensure submissions meet the filing guidelines in each applicable state. Are the forms being submitted on time? Are there patterns of Board rejections due to incomplete information? Late filing can result in additional statutory compensation to the employee or penalties imposed by the Board.
Additionally, we recommend an internal review of administrative processes to ensure that all individuals responsible for managing claims have access to EDI-filed documents. In many organizations, a separate internal department, distinct from the claim adjuster, is responsible for administrative filings. When a claim is assigned to defense counsel, these EDI-filed documents are often not included in the claim file. However, they are a critical first step in assessing claim exposure.
In short: don’t let your EDI process be a “file to nowhere.” Make sure your filings are timely, complete, and accessible to all stakeholders.
