Advisor. The Summer edition of the Advisor. Update! A Billion Back Update IN THIS ISSUE: The Frank Gates Client Newsletter FALL 2013

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1 The Frank Gates Client Newsletter Update! A Billion Back Update The Summer edition of the newsletter provided details about the BWC s A Billion Back program. In mid-july, the BWC began the mailing of approximately 180,000 rebate checks for Ohio employers. All rebate checks have now been mailed to Ohio employers. In the upcoming months, you should hear additional information relating to modernizing the premium collection model that is used by the BWC. The modernization of premium collection was passed by Legislation and is another component of A Billion Back. This approved legislation now authorizes BWC to move toward a prospective-payment system. We anticipate that most of the changes will begin to occur in late This switch is expected to result in rate reductions of 2 percent for private employers and 4 percent for public employers. Frank Gates representatives are meeting regularly with the BWC in relation to the changes to the collection methodology. Stay tuned to future editions of the newsletter, as we will keep you posted on the developments. IN THIS ISSUE: FRANKLY SPEAKING HOUR SAFETY TRAINING SCHEDULE...2 ARE YOU DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS...3 BWC S DIVISION OF HYGIENE & SAFETY SERVICES...4 PERCENTAGE OF PERMANENT PARTIAL AWARD...4 KNOWHIO DATES...5 Frank Gates 5000 Bradenton Avenue, Dublin OH FrankGates.com

2 Frankly Speaking I want to take a little break from talking about all the tremendous progress Frank Gates has made in the last year and half, and shift the attention toward our parent company, York Risk Services Group. You may have heard me discuss the values and vision of York in previous articles. Those have not and will not change. Those are the basis of our culture and the reason we are successful. You may not be aware that York is presently the third-largest TPA in the country. You also may not be aware of all the services we are able to offer employers. As Frank Gates concentrates mostly on workers compensation in Ohio, York provides workers compensation administration all across the country. We administer workers compensation claims in all 50 states and this encompasses all types of plans: self-insured, high deductible plans and first dollar coverage plans. Hand in hand with workers comp goes managed care. For York that is accomplished nationally through our own company, WellComp. Wellcomp works with clients all across the country and offers services like medical bill review, telephonic nurse case management, field case management, a national diagnostic & imaging network (ADIN), a Medicare secondary payer compliance service and our own workers compensation provider network of over 700,000 providers. Beyond these services, York also provides claims administration for auto and general liability claims, property and casualty claims, professional liability claims and Longshoremen claims. We administer workers compensation and/or liability claims for employers in many industries, specializing in energy, real estate, retail, manufacturing, construction and hospitality. York also serves the needs of our clients by providing insurance programs, pools, captives as well as specialized loss adjusting. The goal is to offer solutions to our customers, no matter what their needs are and make certain all these product lines dovetail seamlessly with one another. If at any time you d like more information about our company or the variety of product lines it offers, please don t hesitate to contact us. As always, it remains our privilege to serve you. Dan Dan Sullivan President, Frank Gates Ohio & SVP York Risk Services Group 2 Hour Safety Training Sessions for November 12, 2013 Hampton Inn Cleveland Airport Brooklyn, Ohio December 12, 2013 BMI Federal Credit Union Dublin, Ohio January 14, 2014 Holiday Inn Express Bowling Green, Ohio February 11, 2014 Hampton Inn Cleveland Airport Brooklyn, Ohio March 18, 2014 Jackson Township Safety Center Massillon, Ohio May 13, 2014 Deardoff Senior Center Franklin, Ohio June 17, 2014 BMI Federal Credit Union Dublin, Ohio * For more information or to sign up for a safety training session, please seminars@frankgates.com 2

3 40% The percentage of workplace accidents ending in DEATH where alcohol and other drug use is a contributing factor. Are You Doing Everything Possible to Avoid Accidents? It s been said that the cheapest accident is the one that never happens. So what steps is your company taking to avoid a mishap? You have established safety protocols. It is likely you make sure any spills are wiped up quickly. You make sure the parking lot is well lit and kept clear of snow and ice. You purchase nonslip mats and caution signs. In fact, you feel you have done everything you can to help employees steer clear of accidents. But are you addressing the hazards associated with employees using and/or abusing alcohol and other drugs? Within the workplace, alcohol and other drug use is a contributing factor in 40% of accidents ending in death, and 47% of serious injury accidents. Drug-free workplace programs are designed to help reduce the likelihood employees will use/abuse alcohol and other drugs and negatively impact the safety of your organization. In Ohio, operating drug-free can have additional benefits if the employer is enrolled in the BWC s Drug-Free Safety Program (DFSP). Participants in this program receive a 4-7% premium discount rate including those employers who are group rated. Additionally, qualifying employers may be eligible for SafetyGRANT$ from the BWC to subsidize and, for the most part, pay for the startup and maintenance costs of a drug-free workplace program. The DFSP guidelines follow drugfree workplace program best practices and rounds out the tools your organization needs to reduce the likelihood of accidents and can even earn Ohio employers workers compensation savings. The next DFSP enrollment date is. Working Partners is hosting two FREE webinars in October to help you decide if it makes sense to enroll in the Drug- Free Safety Program. Visit www. WorkingPartners.com/webinars. asp to register for the webinar. 47% The percentage of SERIOUS INJURY workplace accidents where alcohol and other drug use is a contributing factor. 4 to 7% The PREMIUM DISCOUNT RATE participants in the Drug Free Safety Program are eligible for. Dee Mason is the president of Working Partners, the single most knowledgeable resource for comprehensive DFWP products/ services and the longest-running drug-free workplace consortium in the Midwest. Working Partners is a consulting and training firm offering full-service drug-free workplace consultation and support services. With more than 1,700 clients and over 20 years experience, Working Partners is the single most knowledgeable resource for comprehensive DFWP products/services and has the longest running drug-free workplace consortium in the Midwest. 3

4 Types of Compensation: Percentage of Permanent Partial Awards There are many types of compensation awards the BWC can grant to a worker who has sustained an injury in the course of employment. Many of them have similar names and are awarded in similar circumstances, but each has significant differences in how they are applied and how they affect your account. A Percentage of Permanent Partial (%PP) Award is commonly referred to as a C-92 Award and is compensation awarded to an injured worker for residual impairment resulting from an allowed injury or occupational disease. A certain amount of permanent or residual damage may remain as a result of the injury. If an injured worker sustains a broken arm and can no longer extend it to the full degree, he would be eligible for an award based upon the residual loss. The permanent impairment may be physical, psychological or psychiatric. A Percentage of Permanent Partial Award is not payable for any psychiatric condition unless there is an allowed accompanying medical condition in the claim. C-92 Awards are based on medical reports and the findings of examinations or reviews. The C-92 determination is supported by an independent exam and the examining physician does not contact the injured worker s doctor of record for medical information. The C-92 Award occurs after the claim has stabilized. The compensation that is paid will (Continued on page 5) BWC s Division of Safety & Hygiene Services The most valuable asset your organization has is its employees. By improving safety and preventing incidents, you can protect your work force while reducing your workers compensation costs. If you are an employer participating in Ohio s workers compensation system, BWC s Division of Safety & Hygiene (DSH) can help meet your safety needs, with no direct cost to you. DSH provides a broad spectrum of services including technical support, library services, educational services and publications. Additional resources include the Ohio Safety Congress & Expo, the largest regional safety and health exhibition in the United States and the Ohio safety councils, which provide a forum for occupational safety and health information in local communities. Financial resources are available through the SafetyGRANT$ program, which provides matching safety intervention grants to eligible employers for the purchase of equipment that may substantially reduce or eliminate workplace injuries and illnesses. The OSHA On-Site Consultation Program provides consultation services to small employers in high-hazard industries. Your workers compensation premium includes the cost of DSH services. As a result, you invest your safety dollars in prevention. The Ohio legislature established DSH as a consultative service to inform, educate and assist employers in loss-prevention activities. 4

5 KnOwHIO - Dates to Remember PUBLIC EMPLOYERS January 1, 2014 March 31, 2014 DFSP Filing Deadline for 1/1 start date Group Retrospective Rating Filing Deadline Individual Retrospective Rating Filing Deadline Deductible Program Filing Deadline Industry Specific Safety Program Filing Deadline Deadline to apply for Transitional Work Bonus Program with 1/1 start date Beginning of 1/1/14 Rate Year Deadline to opt out of 100% EM CAP Program PRIVATE EMPLOYERS December 1, 2013 February 28, 2014 February 28, 2014 DFSP Filing Deadline for 1/1 start date Deadline to apply for Transitional Work Bonus Program with 1/1 start date Remaining Balance due for PA employers who opted for 50/50 payment option Filing Deadline for 7/1/14 Group Rating Deadline for 7/1/13-12/31/13 BWC premium payment Types of Compensation: Percentage of Permanent Partial Award (Continued from page 4) appear in your experience and impact your workers compensation premium. If you have workers compensation claims, the C-92 application is something you will most likely see in the course of your claims handling. As your advocate, Frank Gates will represent your company before the Industrial Commission with the goal of keeping the Percentage of Permanent Partial Award as low as possible. 5