Texas Mutual Launches Workers’ Comp Health Care Network

Texas Mutual Insurance Company announced that the Texas Department of Insurance certified its Texas Star Network option on March 29, 2006. The company will begin offering the network option to eligible workers’ compensation policyholders with operations in network service areas on April 3.

Eligible employers who choose a policy with the network option will benefit from the network system’s focus on occupational medicine. Most will also receive a network premium discount of 12 percent.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company partnered with Concentra to form the Texas Star Network option in response to House Bill 7. The bill, passed by the Texas Legislature last summer, is designed to improve quality of care, control health care costs in the state’s workers’ compensation system, and help injured workers return to productive employment. One high-profile provision of the bill allows insurance carriers to contract with or establish networks.

A TDI spokesperson said 19 companies have applied for network certification. Texas Star is the first to be certified by TDI.

Injured workers who are covered by Texas Mutual’s network and live in a network service area will select their treating doctor from the network’s list of occupational health care providers. Texas Star Network case managers will work with injured workers, employers, and health care providers to facilitate appropriate and cost-effective health care and return-to-work.

“On-the-job accidents carry human and monetary costs,” said Lisa Corless, Texas Mutual senior vice president of claim and information services. “We have created the Texas Star Network to give us additional tools to help ensure both the availability of quality medical providers and effective cost management by directing injured workers to a specialized network of right providers.”

For more information on Texas Mutual Insurance Company or the Texas Star Network option, employers should ask their agent or visit texasmutual.com.

Topics Texas Workers' Compensation New Markets