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Broadspire Launches the First Alternative Dispute Resolution Process Offered by a National TPA

"In the current economic climate, all of us should get excited about a solution where everybody wins," said Broadspire Senior Vice President Kerwin Williams. "With ADR, employers benefit directly from tremendous cost savings, injured employees receive elevated assistance and heightened care delivery, while unions reap the rewards associated with improved relationships with management."

Passed in 1993, California Senate Bill 983 enabled employers and unions in the construction and other closely related industries to design and implement alternatives to statutory workers compensation. Roughly 10 years after the passage of SB 983, Senate Bill 228 expanded the legislation to cover all California unionized industries. Thirty-three other states have followed California's lead and now have specific or enabling ADR language.

Broadspire, working in conjunction with Workers Compensation Solutions LLC (WCS), a leading ADR consulting firm, leverages key legislation and employs nurse advocates to assist an injured worker through a structured claims management process. This systematic methodology has been proven to help expedite medical care, reduce the amount of time an injured employee is off work and drastically diminish formal litigation. "Through partnering with WCS, Broadspire is able to bring to market a program with an exceptional track record for reducing medical and litigation costs," Williams says.

As the third-largest third party administrator and fourth-largest medical management provider in the country, Broadspire provides an effective ADR solution in all 33 states where legislative guidelines permit. The Broadspire/WCS solution can be implemented with fully insured, loss-sensitive, self-insured or Taft-Hartley Trust programs.

Collectively bargained workers compensation, also commonly referred to as union ADR or carve outs, provides enhanced medical delivery, significant cost savings and improved management/labor relations. Independent studies, one conducted by Cornell University and the other by the California Workers Compensation Institute (CWCI), have found that ADR programs result in:

    --  A 26 percent reduction in average length of claims
    --  A 58 percent savings in average cost of claims
    --  A 36 percent reduction in litigation rates.

"In my 42 years of experience in public safety labor I've never observed a labor/management Alternative Dispute Resolution program that will help the American worker and the business community like the ADR concept developed by Broadspire and Workers Compensation Solutions," said Don Novey, executive director, California Peace Officers Memorial Foundation. "This full-service ADR non-adversarial advocacy program is vital for jobs, economic growth and protecting the American workforce."

About Broadspire

Broadspire, a leading international third party administrator for large self-insured organizations, offers a broad array of customized claim and medical management services designed to increase employee productivity and contain costs. Broadspire's U.S. offering of workers compensation, auto and general liability claims administration, medical management and absence and care management, is available bundled or individually. In addition, Crawford provides liability, motor and property claims management services in Europe under the Broadspire brand. Broadspire is based in Atlanta, Ga., with a network of 85 locations throughout the United States (www.choosebroadspire.com) and Europe (www.Broadspire.eu), including the United Kingdom (www.BroadspireTPA.co.uk).

About Workers Compensation Solutions LLC

As pioneers in the ADR arena, the management team of WCS has collectively developed an unparalleled expertise and possesses significant relationships within the organized labor setting - both private and public.

About Crawford

Based in Atlanta, Ga., Crawford & Company (www.crawfordandcompany.com) is the world's largest independent provider of claims management solutions to the risk management and insurance industry as well as self-insured entities, with a global network of more than 700 locations in 63 countries. The Crawford System of Claims Solutions(SM) offers comprehensive, integrated claims services, business process outsourcing and consulting services for major product lines including property and casualty claims management, workers compensation claims and medical management, and legal settlement administration. The Company's shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbols CRDA and CRDB.

SOURCE Crawford & Company