The United States Postal Service (USPS) faces many challenges with workers’ compensation claims. Rising costs, high injury rates, and problems in claim management strain the organization’s financial and day-to-day stability. With decades of experience in investigative services, Frasco Investigative Services is well-equipped to assist USPS by reducing these hardships.

Moreover, Frasco uses advanced surveillance, fraud detection, and data-focused investigative methods to help USPS reduce waste, fraud, and abuse more effectively. By identifying false claims, speeding up claim resolutions, and improving program efficiency, Frasco offers real value. With over 60 years of service in the insurance industry, Frasco can apply best practices to USPS so the workers’ compensation costs per workhour match private industry rates, or possibly improve further.

Understanding USPS’s Workers’ Compensation Challenges

USPS manages one of the largest workforces in the country. As a result, it handles a high volume of workers’ compensation claims. Some major issues facing USPS include:

• High Injury Rates: Letter carriers and postal workers often face work-related injuries caused by repetitive motion, vehicle accidents, hazardous encounters, and unexpected conditions.
• Escalating Workers’ Compensation Costs: The USPS’s workers’ compensation expenses are notably higher than private-sector levels, straining budgets.
• Fraudulent and Overstated Claims: Some employees may overstate or invent injuries, which leads to unneeded expenses.
• Long Claim Duration: Many claims stay open for long periods, causing excessive chargebacks and larger payouts.

Frasco’s Extensive Experience with FECA Claims

Frasco Investigative Services has strong experience handling claims under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA). This background makes it well-prepared to guide USPS in tackling its workers’ compensation difficulties. Over time, Frasco has successfully worked with federal agencies, making sure they follow FECA rules and lowering unneeded claim costs while designing programs that pay for themselves, often yielding a 50 to 1 return on investment (ROI).

Key aspects of Frasco’s FECA expertise include:

• In-Depth Knowledge of FECA Regulations: Frasco grasps the details of FECA claims, such as medical restrictions, return-to-work policies, and administrative actions needed for federal employees.
• Proven Success with Federal Agencies: Frasco holds a proven track record of helping federal entities manage injury claims well.
• Specialized Investigative Techniques for FECA Cases: Frasco’s investigative strategy matches the distinct requirements of FECA cases, ensuring proper documentation for second-opinion medical reviews and Department of Labor (DOL) evaluations.

Reducing Waste, Fraud, and Abuse at the USPS

Frasco’s investigative methods actively reduce waste, fraud, and abuse in the USPS’s workers’ compensation system. Furthermore, Frasco supports USPS in maintaining its financial and day-to-day reliability by uncovering false claims, simplifying claim reviews, and ensuring wise use of resources.

1. Detecting and Preventing Fraudulent Claims

• Surveillance Operations: Frasco’s surveillance experts use state-of-the-art technology to monitor claimants and determine if their reported injuries align with their daily activities.
• Social Media Investigations: Frasco’s analysts inspect public social media profiles to see if any actions conflict with stated injuries.
• Background Checks & Medical Canvassing: Investigators look into past medical details and treatment history to find hidden conditions or unmentioned jobs.
• ​Program Management: Ensures compliance, effectiveness, and top-tier support by drawing on Frasco’s technology and skill set. Benefits include cost savings, better efficiency, faster turnaround, standard rates, single-source invoicing, yearly checks of all investigative vendors’ licenses and insurance, focused case management, and compliance reviews of all investigations.

2. Eliminating Waste and Inefficiencies

• Expedited Case Resolutions: Frasco assists in gathering timely and accurate information to speed up decision-making, reducing unnecessary long-term claim costs.
• Return-to-Work Programs: By confirming an employee’s actual abilities, Frasco helps USPS create return-to-work plans that prevent needless extended leave.
• Dependency & Benefit Verification: Frasco reviews marital and dependent data to make sure benefits go to the right people, trimming unjustified payouts.

3. Strengthening Oversight and Compliance

• Audit and Data Analysis: Frasco reviews past and ongoing claims to identify patterns of abuse and recommend policy improvements.
• Legal and Administrative Support: Frasco provides detailed investigative reports that can be used in Department of Labor reviews, fraud prosecutions, or administrative hearings.
• Secure Case Management System: Frasco ensures that investigative findings are securely stored and accessible for claims managers and USPS legal teams, compliant with NIST-800 standards.

Frasco’s Role in Addressing USPS Workers’ Compensation Challenges

1. Fraud Detection and Prevention

Frasco’s investigative expertise enables USPS to identify false claims through:

• Surveillance Techniques: Frasco’s team performs both mobile and fixed surveillance to verify if claimants meet medical restrictions.
• Social Media Monitoring: Investigators analyze publicly available social media activity to detect inconsistencies in claimants’ reported injuries and actual behavior.
• Background Checks and Medical Canvassing: Frasco cross-references medical records and background history to reveal potential misrepresentations.

2. Expediting Claims Resolution

Many workers’ compensation claims at USPS last longer than necessary. Frasco helps speed up claim resolution by:

• Reliable Documentation for Second Opinion Review: Frasco gathers factual evidence that assists physicians and the Department of Labor in making accurate determinations about an employee’s ability to return to work.
• Return-to-Work Assessments: By documenting a claimant’s capabilities, Frasco aids USPS in developing reasonable accommodations for employees to transition back to work.

3. Cost Containment Strategies

USPS’s financial burden from workers’ compensation claims can drop significantly by:

• Eliminating Unjustified Payments: By spotting false or overstated claims, Frasco allows USPS to skip unneeded payouts.
• Reducing Dependency Benefits: Investigations into marital status, dependent eligibility, and other benefit details ensure rule compliance.

4. Using Advanced Investigative Technologies

Frasco utilizes state-of-the-art investigative technologies, such as:

• Remote Surveillance and Camera Placements: Deploying discreet, unmanned surveillance technology to monitor claimants’ activities.
• AI-Powered Investigative Analytics: Data solutions that help find patterns of dishonest behavior.
• Secure Case Management Systems: Real-time updates and smooth teamwork with USPS claims managers.

5. Compliance with Federal and USPS Regulations

Frasco’s investigative practices follow all federal workers’ compensation regulations and USPS-specific policies, ensuring:

• Investigations occur ethically and within legal boundaries.
• Reports meet the rules of the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA).
• USPS receives detailed, solid evidence for administrative and legal steps.

In Summary

Frasco Investigative Services delivers the same complete, planned approach to USPS’s workers’ compensation problems that it has used for commercial insurance carriers for decades. Therefore, by detecting fraud, speeding up claims, reducing costs, and using modern investigative methods, Frasco gives USPS a powerful tool for boosting program efficiency and financial stability. With deep experience in FECA claims, Frasco positions itself to handle valid claims fairly while swiftly discovering and addressing dishonest and overstated claims, thereby protecting the workforce and ensuring the organization’s long-term success.

Contact Us Today

Frasco® Government Services provides ethical and efficient solutions designed for your needs. Do you have questions or want to review your investigative concerns further? Schedule a call with one of our experts today to find the answers you’re looking for.

Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Please consult your general counsel for specific legal guidance. Frasco investigators hold licenses, and our operations comply with US industry, federal, state, and local laws.