Use Timing and Modeling to Target RTW Resources

When should disability case managers begin return-to-work (RTW) efforts for short-term disability (STD) claims? IBI worked with Mathematica Policy Research on a report for the Social Security Administration showing that disability case management strategies can target return-to-work resources more efficiently through a combination of timing and data modeling. The analysis--published in the Journal of Occupational Research--used IBI's health and productivity benchmarking data to predict which STD claims will resolve on their own, and which will exhaust the maximum benefit duration allowed by their plan design or transition into the long-term disability system.

Waiting just a few weeks for some claims to resolve on their own can substantially increase targeting accuracy. Modeling after the waiting period narrows the target population even further, thereby improving efficiency.