EK HEALTH

Texas insurance executive noted for bringing cost efficiencies to Workers’ Compensation

December 16, 2009

SAN JOSE, Calif.--EK Health Services Inc., a leading medical and disability management services company, announced today that Todd K. Brown, noted Texas insurance executive, has been hired as Practice Leader for EK Health.

“There’s a fine line between assuring injured workers receive all the benefits they are due, and assuring the employer does not pay out more than required”

Brown, former Regulatory Affairs Consultant to Coventry Health Care, has a history bringing cost efficiencies to the workers’ compensation industry, including improving safety and claims management, information technology and audit and fraud abuse.

Brown is noted for creating innovations and reporting efficiencies at the Texas Workers’ Compensation Commission (TWCC). As executive director from 1992 to 1997, he managed a $45.5 million budget and established the agency’s automation system.

He will lead EK Health’s program to enforce Utilization Review decisions in Medical Bill Review. The initiative uses automated safeguards to assure payers’ claims expenses are confined strictly to approved medical treatment of the work-related injury and nothing more.

“There’s a fine line between assuring injured workers receive all the benefits they are due, and assuring the employer does not pay out more than required,” said Oliver Ostlander, VP of Operations & Business Development. “Todd brings the know-how to draw the line.”

Workers’ compensation is efficient at paying medical benefits, but less efficient at insuring employers are not paying for unnecessary services,” said Brown. “EK Health wants to achieve the balance, and I am here to help them.”

Working through the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards (IAIABC), Brown was on the team that created the first national standard for electronically reporting notice of injury, an effort that saved $2.3 million annually at TWCC. Brown’s self-audit program for a Third Party Administrator led to a $300,000 reduction in reserves over a 12-month period.

Brown is past president of IAIABC and the Southern Association of Workers’ Compensation Administrators. He chaired the EDI Steering Committee of IAIABC. He graduated from IAIABC’s Worker’s Compensation College, Baylor University and the LBJ School of Public Affairs.

Founded in 1998 and headquartered in San Jose, CA, EK Health Services, which operates in 20 states, provides workers’ compensation case management, utilization, peer and bill review services to insurance companies, employers, for-profits and public entities, including California’s State Compensation Insurance Fund.