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Provider Pulse

Stay up to date with relevant workers' compensation news and updates for medical providers.

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Rehabilitation communication form (WC196)

The WC196 Rehabilitation Communication form was created by the Division of Workers’ Compensation to

Medical Provider

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Medical Treatment

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Frequently asked questions - DOWC WC196 Rehabilitation Form

Why was my supplementary payment for the WC196 form denied even though I sent the form to Pinnacol?

Billing & Payments

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Durable Medical Equipment: Supply changes for electrical stimulation units

DOWC guidelines for billing e-stim supplies

Billing & Payments

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Colorado Workers' Comp

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Billing tips for chiropractors

Producing complete, legible documentation and using billing codes appropriately to avoid payment

Billing & Payments

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Billing for time in workers’ compensation

The history, examination and medical decision-making are normally the key components

Billing & Payments

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Colorado Workers' Comp

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Medical Provider

SelectNet medication reminders

Prescribing providers must conform to regulations set forth by the respective licensing board

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Billing & Payments

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Opioid Policy

Prior authorization requirements for opioid prescriptions

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Billing for freestanding emergency department visits

Billing guidelines for freestanding emergency department charges may differ from what you expect.

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Billing & Payments

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2023 Division rule changes

Effective January 1, 2023, the DOWC finalized rule changes affecting workers’ compensation billing.

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Billing & Payments

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Best Practices series with Kathryn Bird, D.O.

Interview with Kathryn Bird, D.O.

Medical Provider

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Medical Treatment

Applying for your National Provider Identifier Number

The National Provider Identifier is a unique 10-digit identification number assigned to

Billing & Payments

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Best Practices series with Joseph Adragna, M.D.

Interview with Joseph Adragna, M.D., Peak Family Medicine in Montrose

Medical Treatment

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Medical Provider

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Healing our Healers

By now, we’ve all heard it: our nation’s physicians are burned out. Depleted. Exhausted.

Health & Wellness

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Best Practices series with Lucia London, N.P.

Interview with Lucia London, N.P., Vail Health Occupational Health.

Medical Provider

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Medical Treatment

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DOWC 2022 rule changes

The Colorado DOWC recently finalized rule changes that affect workers’ compensation billing in 2022.

Colorado Workers' Comp

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Billing & Payments

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Medical Provider

The value of second opinions (not independent medical evaluations)

As an authorized treating provider, you should be able to make maximum medical improvement decisions

Medical Provider

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Medical Treatment

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Electronic prescribing for controlled substances

The requirement to electronically prescribe controlled substances starts on July 1, 2021.

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Medical Treatment

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Medical Provider

Best Practices series with Tasha Alexis, M.D.

Interview with Tasha Alexis, M.D., San Luis Valley Occupational Medicine, Alamosa.

Medical Provider

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Medical Treatment

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Billing & Payments

The workers’ compensation fee schedule and rules hearings

Colorado statutes require that the Division of Workers’ Compensation (DOWC) review the medical fee

Medical Provider

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Billing & Payments

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Colorado Workers' Comp

Best Practices series with Matt Miller, M.D.

Interview with Matt Miller, M.D., Front Range Occupational Medicine, Golden.

Medical Provider

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Billing & Payments

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Medical Treatment

New online learning available

We’re working hard to ensure our providers have access to the Pinnacol educational resources

Medical Provider

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Colorado Workers' Comp

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Ensuring functional gains with PT/OT

Often, quality care for injured workers includes therapeutic activities to enhance the worker’s

Health & Wellness

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DOWC Rule for interpreter certification

The Division of Workers' Compensation (DOWC) has adopted the final rule on certification

Medical Provider

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Colorado Workers' Comp

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DOWC 2021 rule changes

The Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation finalized rules that impact medical providers

Medical Provider

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Billing & Payments

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Colorado Workers' Comp

Gabapentin or Pregabalin? Or Neither?

In the setting of neuropathic pain, clinicians need to determine whether a gabapentinoid

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Medical Treatment

Telehealth utilization by Pinnacol injured workers

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought a sudden increase in the adoption and use of telehealth

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Medical Provider

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Medical Treatment

Myths and misconceptions delay recovery for injured workers

In the workers’ compensation system, the exemplary medical provider renders excellent clinical care

Medical Treatment

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Return to Work™ consulting

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Medical Provider

Return to work program helps patients get back to work

Do you have a patient you want to assist with resuming work?

Return to Work™ consulting

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Medical Provider

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Medical Treatment

DOWC 2020 rule changes

The Colorado Division of Workers’ Compensation recently finalized rule changes that affect workers'

Medical Provider

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From our medical director: Pointers for difficult cases

Cases that are complex or involve delayed recovery are uncommon, but they often take up a

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Medical Treatment

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Myth busting: Occupational medicine

Brenden Matus, M.D., MPH, practices occupational medicine at WorkWell Occupational Medicine in

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Health & Wellness

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Rural doctors face workers' compensation challenges

While most of Colorado's residents reside in major cities, approximately one-sixth of the population

Colorado Workers' Comp

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Pinnacol auditors: Your billing and coding resource

As part of compliance requirements, a team of Pinnacol auditors reviews a subset of provider bills

Billing & Payments

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New physical therapy and chiropractic use review program

Based on the Department of Workers’ Compensation (DOWC) Medical Treatment Guidelines and other DOWC

Billing & Payments

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Demystifying the process of getting back to work

Help workers resume work to safely and swiftly by supporting awareness and communication.

Colorado Workers' Comp

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Return to Work™ consulting

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Billing Tips to Speed Up Provider Payments

The Colorado Division of Workers’ Compensation (DOWC) does not recognize “incident-to criteria” for

Billing & Payments

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Colorado Workers' Comp

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Healing our healers: Part two

As part of a two-part series, Pinnacol Assurance recently published the article Healing our healers:

Health & Wellness

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DOWC and the utilization of Medical Treatment Guidelines

In a recent conversation with Dan Sung, Manager of the Medical Policy Unit at the Colorado Division

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Colorado Workers' Comp

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Pinnacol Provider Portal enhancements

In 2018, Pinnacol replaced its provider portal to make it more secure, faster and easier to use.

Billing & Payments

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SB 18-022, safe opioid prescribing

SB 22 was one of a package of bills this legislative session designed to address the epidemic of

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Test yourself: The appropriate use of physical therapy in low back pain

Over 90% of patients with uncomplicated acute back pain improve satisfactorily within six weeks with

Health & Wellness

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Tips for Billing Success: Cloned Documentation

Electronic health records (EHRs) offer many time-saving advantages and provide an effective

Billing & Payments

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Back pain and how to test yourself

Back pain is the most common type of injury in workers’ compensation. General principles related to

Health & Wellness

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OSHA Recordkeeping: Understanding Recordable vs. Non-recordable cases

OSHA regulates work-related injury and illness recordkeeping

Medical Treatment

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