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California employers and insurers now have two new health care organization (HCO) plans to offer injured workers. With the Department of Industrial Relations Division of Workers’ Compensation’s (DWC) certification Sept. 5, Intercorp’s two new plans brings the state’s HCO count to 13.

DWC Administrative Director, Richard Gannon said, “Use of HCOs is becoming an increasingly popular way to help employers and their workers improve medical care quality and early return to work programs while controlling rising workers' compensation costs.”

What is unique about these two new plans is that they will be available to public and private sector places of employment, large and small firms, and self insured employers.

Gannon reported that enrollment by employees in HCO programs has grown substantially from just over 150,000 employees during the first half of 2001 to about 380,000 as of July 1, 2002.

HCO applicants often request certification for two products because current law requires that employees be offered at least two plans from which to choose. Beginning in 2003, Assembly Bill 749 will change the requirement, and it is expected that many of the providers who operate more than one plan will combine them.

Ken Ross, senior vice president of Disability Management, Intracorp. “This will strengthen Intracorp's ability to help injured workers recover and get back to work more quickly while at the same time minimize employers’ medical and indemnity expenses.”

Gannon also signed the recertification of two existing Irvine HCOs, CompPartners Access and CompPartners Direct. Recertification is required every three years.