Service Fees

WorkCover will only pay as a claim cost, OR services approved by the agent and provided direct to the worker.

All OR including JSA services are paid at a fixed fee or at an hourly rate negotiated between the agent and the OR provider.

OR providers are entitled to be paid JSA or WISE placement fixed fees where the worker returns to works.

Fixed OR service fees including JSA or WISE RTW placement fees and OR services payable at an hourly negotiated rate are payable plus GST and indexed on 1 July each year.

Fixed fees or hourly rates are inclusive of all OR provider administrative costs.

What is not paid for as an OR service fee

An OR provider may not seek payment for a worker’s non-attendance at, or cancellation of an appointment.

A Household Help (OT) assessment (previously known as an Activities of Daily Living assessment) is not an approved OR service.

Supporting employers meet their Occupational Rehabilitation (OR) program obligations

Employers with an OR Program may request the OR provider nominated in their program to assist them prepare a return to work plan or an offer of suitable employment (OSE) for a worker. However, the employer cannot have this type of OR provider assistance paid as a claim cost or an approved OR service cost.

As well, an OR provider nominated in an employer’s OR Program must avoid any situation that may be seen as a ‘conflict of interest’. For example, they cannot provide ‘in house’ assistance to a worker or act in a return to work co-ordinator role for that worker and offer an approved OR service to the same worker.

While OR provider is not precluded from undertaking different roles to support an employer meet their obligations, the OR provider may only undertake one type of a role with a particular worker.

Some employers provide ‘in-house’ assistance to workers before or after a claim is lodged which is sometimes referred to as ‘return to work services’. This should not be confused with OR services approved under the Act to assist a worker return to work. Organisations or persons approved by WorkCover as OR providers may agree to supply these types of services however, these types of services are an employer responsibility. The employer cannot have this type of assistance paid as a claim and/or OR service cost even though the organisation or person providing the assistance is approved by WorkCover as an OR provider.

Activities associated with the functions of a return to work (RTW) co-ordinator are not paid as a claim and/or OR service cost. These activities are the responsibility of the employer even where the employer may choose to out-source the RTW co-ordinator role.

Type of OR service

Service Item Code

Costs from

31/3/08 -30/06/08

2008/2009

(1/07/08)

One- Off Assessments

RC755

N/A

$132.05 p/h to a max of $655.20

RTW Assistance

RC717

N/A

$132.05 p/h to a max of $198.08

Closure Code

RC795

N/A

cost should be reflective of time spent on report 

 

Quicklinks

Related Links