State OKs Medex to Care for Injured Workers

Medex HealthCare of Los Angeles, which serves Ventura County residents, is the 10th health-care provider certified by the state to provide medical services to workers injured on the job.

The Health Care Organization program, started in 1993, allows participating employers to have control over an injured employee’s medical care for up to a year, instead of the 30 days allowed for nonparticipating employers.

Employees may enroll in the employer’s plan or choose not to participate by pre-selecting another doctor or medical facility to treat their work-related injuries.

“The HCO program was designed to lower employers’ workers compensation costs and assure quality of medical care for injured workers through the use of managed-care techniques,” said John Duncan, acting director of the state Department of Industrial Relations.

Medex contracts with a number of Southern California hospitals and physicians to provide care in a seven-county service area that includes Ventura.