Workers’ Compensation Educational Courses
The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers Compensation (TDI-DWC) offers the following courses for system participants. All courses are approved for general insurance continuing education credits as indicated.
These courses can be requested by completing a TDI Speakers Bureau request on line at https://wwwapps.tdi.state.tx.us/inter/perlroot/consumer/spkb/sbrq.html.
Courses under two hours can be presented in person or by teleconference. Courses of two hours or more can only be presented in person. Courses outside of Austin that may require TDI-DWC staff to travel require a minimum audience of 30 persons.
Courses for: Designated Doctors and Insurance Carriers | Health Care Providers and Insurance Carriers | Employers and Insurance Carriers
Designated Doctors and Insurance Carriers
Course 84805 – 1 Credit Hour: Billing and Reimbursement for Designated Doctor and Impairment Rating Services.
This course is designed to provide insurance carrier staff (including agents, adjusters, and case managers) and designated doctors with information about billing and reimbursing for the medical services provided by designated doctors and other doctors who perform medical examinations for determining maximum medical improvement, impairment rating, extent of injury, whether disability is direct result of compensable injury, return to work, and/or similar issues. Participants will learn the correct Current Practice Terminology (CPT) codes, modifiers and billing rules for each type of examination and the reimbursement associated with those examinations.
Course 84806 - 1 Credit Hour: TDI-DWC Expectations of Designated Doctors and Insurance Carriers.
This course is designed to provide insurance carrier staff (including agents, adjusters, and case managers) and designated doctors with information concerning the expectations of TDI-DWC when those persons request the assignment of a designated doctor to conduct a medical examination of an injured employee. This course gives insurance carrier staff the information necessary to understand their roles in the designated doctor process, especially understanding what is expected of insurance carriers and doctors who participate in the Texas workers’ compensation system.
Course 84807 – 3 Credit Hours: TDI-DWC Update of Designated Doctor Outreach & Oversight Information.
This three-hour course is designed to provide insurance carrier staff including agents, adjusters, and case managers and designated doctors, with an overview of the entire designated doctor process. Topics include Role of the Designated Doctor, TDI-DWC Expectations of Designated Doctors, Required Training and Testing for Designated Doctors, Designated Doctor Application Process, Designated Doctor Selection and Scheduling, DWC Form-032 – Roadmap to a Complete Report, Medical Examinations Conducted by the Designated Doctor, Reports Submitted by a Designated Doctor, How the Designated Doctor’s Report is used in Dispute Resolution and Information Resources.
Course 84808 – 1 Credit Hour: DWC Form-032, Roadmap to a Complete Designated Doctor Examination.
The DWC Form-032, Request for Designated Doctor Examination is most often completed by the workers’ compensation insurance carrier. Communicating the right questions and other information to TDI-DWC is the starting point to obtaining the information that will promptly resolve the issues relating to the medical condition of the injured employee. This course is designed to provide insurance carrier staff including agents, adjusters, and case managers, with information concerning the proper use of and completion of the DWC Form-032.
Course 84809 – 1 Credit Hour: Designated Doctor Examinations and Letters of Clarification.
This course is designed to provide insurance carrier staff (including agents, adjusters, and case managers) with information concerning the proper use of letters of clarification to request a designated doctor to respond to questions about a medical examination the designate doctor conducted.
Course 32465 – 1.5 Credit Hours: Medical Disability Advisor (MDGuidelines) & Texas Workers’ Compensation System.
The Texas Labor Code requires the Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation to adopt return to work guidelines to ensure the quality of medical care, to achieve effective medical cost control, to enhance a timely and appropriate return to work and to be consistent with sections of the Texas Labor Code. The Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation adopted the Medical Disability Advisor (MDGuidelines to comply with the Texas Labor Code. This course provides attendees with practical instruction in the use of the current edition of the Medical Disability Advisor (MDGuidelines) to achieve the requirements of the Texas Labor Code and rules adopted by the Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation.
Course 86143 – 1.5 Credit Hours: Official Disability Guidelines and Their Use in the Texas Workers’ Compensation System
Texas Labor Code requires the Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation to adopt treatment guidelines to ensure the quality of medical care, to achieve effective medical cost control, to enhance a timely and appropriate return to work and to be consistent with sections of the Texas Labor Code. The Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation adopted Official Disability Guidelines (ODG) as the guidelines adopted to comply with the referenced section of the Texas Labor Code. This course provides attendees with practical instruction in the use of the current edition of the Official Disability Guidelines (ODG) to achieve the requirements of the Texas Labor Code and rules adopted by the Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation.
Health Care Providers and Insurance Carriers
The topics concerning basic information for medical office staff can be presented individually for one hour credit each or as a six hour course package.
Course 83291 – 1 Credit Hour: Basic Workers Compensation for Medical Office Staff.
Course 22007 – 6 Credit Hours: Basic Workers Compensation for Medical Office Staff.
These courses provide medical office and insurance carrier staff information about rules and processes affecting health care delivery to injured employees.
- roles and responsibilities of health care providers;
- treatment guidelines:
- establishing medical necessity;
- determining when preauthorization is required for treatments
and services, including medications;
- billing and reimbursement for professional services; and
- dispute resolution.
Employers and Insurance Carriers
The Workers’ Compensation 101 courses for insurance carrier staff and employers can be presented as a three hour course or a six hour course.
Course 25295 – 3 Credit Hours: Workers’ Compensation 101 Overview for Insurance Carrier Staff and Employers.
Course 22249 – 6 Credit Hours: Workers’ Compensation 101 Overview for Insurance Carrier Staff and Employers.
This course provides a comprehensive overview of the Texas workers’ compensation system and discussion of the Return-to-Work program. The course provides insurance carrier staff and employers information on the following topics:
- roles and responsibilities of system participants;
- functions of the Office of Injured Employee Counsel;
- functions and services provided by the TDI-DWC to system participants;
- examination of medical and income benefits in a claim and the process of resolving disputes about those benefits; and
- how to successfully return employees to work after a workplace injury.
The Return to Work courses for insurance carrier staff and employers can be presented as a one hour course or a three hour course.
Course 25293 – 1 Credit Hour: Return to Work
Course 3695 – 2 Credit Hours: Return to Work
Returning injured workers’ back to work as soon as medically possible following an injury is a major goal of the workers’ compensation system.
This course will provide information and tools to help adjusters work with employers to promote return to work programs; health care providers to be pro-active in releasing injured workers to do medically appropriate work during their recovery; and to educate injured workers on the benefits of continuing to do medically appropriate work and remaining active while they are healing.
For more information contact:
Last updated: 11/08/2011
