Which of the following is not a typical duty of case management in workers' compensation claims?

• A. Coordinating care and facilitating return-to-work.
• B. Monitoring progress and ensuring timely treatment.
• C. Communicating with insurers, medical providers, and the employer.
• D. Handling only wages and payroll processing with no medical coordination.

Answer: (D)

Case management in workers’ compensation is about coordinating medical care, ensuring timely treatment, and guiding a safe, efficient return to work. A case manager works with medical providers, insurers, and the employer to arrange appropriate care, monitor the claimant’s progress, and keep everyone informed so the treatment aligns with a plan for returning to work. The duty described as handling only wages and payroll processing with no medical coordination doesn’t fit this role because it omits the medical coordination and return-to-work focus that define case management. Wages and payroll tasks are financial or administrative functions separate from the medical care coordination and workplace rehabilitation that a case manager provides.