BT Spends $1.6 Million on Return to Health Program

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BT Financial Group has revealed it has spent $1.6 million in the past year as part of external rehabilitation support designed to return claimants to high levels of pre-claim health.

BTFG National Claims Manager, Neil Borthwick

The company stated that since last August, 472 insurance customers had participated in a health support program that led to a Health Outcome Measure (HOM), which gauged how much of their original health was regained after receiving some form of treatment following a claim.

Of that number, 183 claimants have so far completed a health support program and recorded an average HOM improvement of 81 per cent, and most have successfully returned to work or been cleared to do so by their treating medical practitioner.

BTFG National Claims Manager, Neil Borthwick said the group measured the health of claimants prior to a disability claim, at the time of claim and the end of a health support program.

“Previously, claims have been at the centre of an insurance payout but we have now come to view that as one part of the recovery of a customer…”

These measures covered different aspects of health, from the ability to set goals, through to activities of daily living, mobility and even sleep quality and where assessed by claimants in conjunction with BT claims staff.

“We have trained our claims staff to assess where people are at when they make a claim, and not all claims are referred on for health support. Where they are referred we have a range of triggers that identify if someone has particular needs that can benefit from support,” Borthwick said.

“We also educate clients around the processes and choices available to them and check with them around their state of mind and health and follow-up to ensure they reach their required outcome,” he said.

BTFG launched the HOM system in July 2015 and since that time around 1,700 customers have received some form of health support with 600 – 700 customers referred to some form of health support each year, over the past two years.

Borthwick said the increase in numbers during 2016 and 2017, double that of the first year, stemmed from the better support the BT claims team was able to provide to its policy holders.

“Previously, claims have been at the centre of an insurance payout but we have now come to view that as one part of the recovery of a customer. We work with doctors and with families but as life insurers we have the connections and the resources to be able to leverage help and care, and assist in returning people to health,” Borthwick said.