2016 VWC Annual Report Press Release

2016-VWC-Annual-Report-Press-Release.pdf

Press Release Date

 

[Richmond, VA] - Today, the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission (VWC) released its 2016 Annual Report. The report provides a summary of key initiatives, trends, and outcomes for the Commonwealth’s workers’ compensation system and other programs administered by the Commission. The interactive annual report can be viewed or downloaded by clicking here.

“In 2016 we processed 47,609 electronic claims and issued 3,827 hearing-level and 795 appellate decisions,” said VWC’s Chairman, Wesley G. Marshall. “With expanded Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and other improved docket controls, from 2012 to 2016 we produced a 30% decrease in the average time from claim filing to resolution. In 2016, our staff developed and implemented groundbreaking technology-based automation for ADR. As a result, the Commission received the inaugural Innovation Award from the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC).”

Key highlights noted in the 2016 Annual Report include:

  • Established a timeline to develop draft medical fee schedules;
  • Launched insurance compliance checks on businesses across the state;
  • Designated each regional office as a courthouse to ensure highest level of law enforcement response;
  • Full compliance with state security requirements for automated systems;
  • Implemented an EDI Quality Assurance fine penalty structure; and
  • Launched engaging marketing campaigns to reach injured workers, victims of crimes, employers, and related industries.

The report also features the financial results of the agency and the Virginia Victims Fund (officially the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund) for Fiscal Year 2016, as well as a look ahead to its 2017 initiatives.

 

About The Commission

The Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission (VWC), established in 1918, is an independent judicial and administrative state agency which oversees the workers’ compensation system for employees, employers, and insurers. VWC interprets and applies the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Act and resolves claims through hearings and mediation. A 2016 Oregon study ranked Virginia as the fifth-lowest cost system in the nation. Leading the way in electronic data and claims filing systems, in 2016 VWC processed over 47,000 claims and issued over 3,800 judicial opinions. VWC also administers the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund, the Uninsured Employer’s Fund, and adjudicates claims under the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, VWC operates regional offices in Bristol, Virginia Beach, Roanoke, Harrisonburg, Manassas, and Fairfax.

 

For more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview, please call Charles Steepleton at 1-877-664-2566 or email questions@workcomp.virginia.gov.