The Workers'
Compensation Division (WCD) is the state agency that administers and regulates laws
and rules that impact the participants in the Oregon workers' compensation system.
The Workers' Compensation Division has a total of six sections: Benefit Services, Compliance,
Medical, Operations, Policy and Communications, and the Administrator's Office. WCD
has programs that ensure timely and appropriate medical treatment and time-loss benefits
to injured workers, while assisting in keeping costs and burdens low for Oregon employers.
In addition, the division administers return-to-work programs that assist in helping
injured workers return to their previous job or to find new employment.
The Workers'
Compensation Division believes that we are a workers' compensation community. We think
this community approach is unique and critical to Oregon's continued workers' compensation
success, and we are committed to the idea of a workers' compensation community.
All communities have values. We developed the following list of values that we think
best describes our community.
Communication
- Listening to one another will help us improve the quality of our workers'
compensation services and products.
Connection
- We all share responsibility and work together to improve outcomes.
Innovation
- Finding new, adaptive ways to connect with one another.
Integrity
- Building trustworthy and positive relationships with one another.
Education
- We will achieve better outcomes through service, information, and training.
We promise to strive to
achieve our mission while keeping to the values of communication, connection, innovation,
integrity, commitment, and education. We promise to act with trust that these principles
are kept and shared by all of the workers' compensation community.
Sections
& Units/Teams
Description
of Responsibilities
Administration
The Administrator's
office provides policy direction and leadership for the division including rulemaking,
policy analysis, budget development and execution, strategic planning, and legislative
concept development and bill tracking.
The Benefit Services Section resolves disputes
regarding disability benefits and vocational assistance. Provides information on vocational
and claim-closure reconsideration issues. Administers and provides reemployment incentives
through the preferred worker program.
The Compliance Section enforces laws and
rules relating to claims processing by private insurers, self-insured employers, and
SAIF Corporation. The section enforces laws requiring employers to obtain and maintain
workers' compensation coverage for their employees, licenses worker leasing companies,
and regulates self-insured employers. The Workers' Compensation Infoline, (800) 452-0288,
is staffed by workers' compensation experts to answer questions from the public. The
section also ensures the accuracy of disbursement and receipt of moneys from and to
the various reserves, and ensures proper claims management by about 400 insurers and
self-insured employers.
The Medical Section's mission is to improve
the delivery and affordability of medical service in workers' compensation. Through facilitation
of advisory councils, and a focus on outreach and education, the Medical Section seeks
improved stakeholder partnerships. The section resolves disputes, certifies managed care
organizations, authorizes nurse practitioners, and authorizes medical providers to conduct
medical reviews, independent medical examinations, and other medical examinations. The
section researches medical issues and makes policy recommendations. Data collection for
outreach activities, certification/authorization and investigation activities, and identification
of rule issues raised in disputes are important functions for the section in drafting
administrative rules, bulletins, and brochures.
The Operations Section provides administrative
and program support to the rest of the division, provides technical expertise to division
end-users, and administers centralized division purchasing and resources. The section
also provides services to the public by responding to information requests; distributing
bulletins and forms; and assisting insurers, service companies, and self-insured employers
with coverage and claim filing requirements.
The Policy & Communications Section assists
the administrator in carrying out division programs and responsibilities through analyzing,
researching, facilitating, recommending, and communicating policy to improve program
operation. The section provides the public a centralized information link with the
division and provides centralized coordination for the division related to rulemaking,
bulletins and forms, publications, legal issues, requests for hearing, staff development
and training, conferences and workshops, Internet and Intranet, newsletters, media
relations, and customer surveys.
If you have questions about this webpage, please contact Dan McNally, 503-947-7502.
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