Page 15 - Ohio RA 2011 Winter FlipBook

www.ohiorestaurant.org 13 Winter 2012 Issue

Understand This Valuable Information about the Ohio BWC’s Group Rating

What is Group Rating?

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) allows companies in similar industries to “group” their workers’ compensation claims experiences for rating purposes. By pooling companies with good claims experience, the group can obtain a signifcant discount on workers’ comp premiums - as if the entire group was one large company. With group rating, coverage is still provided by the BWC. Each member still maintains its own BWC policy number and payments are still made to the BWC. The premium statements that come from the Bureau will refect the group discounted rate.

Why the ORA Group Rating Plan?

Group Stability. Currently, more than 1,300 companies participate in the Ohio Restaurant Association’s Group Rating Plan. It is important to belong to a large group rating program that is industry specifc because the larger and more industry specifc the group, the less vulnerable it is to projection fuctuations.

The ORA partners with CareWorks Consultants, Inc. to offer our members the only group rating program specifcally designed for the restaurant industry. ORA’s group plan helps employers achieve the highest group rating discount possible.

Service. The ORA group has a high rate of member satisfaction with a 92% retention rate. Unfortunately, you won’t know until you’ve had a claim how important service is to the future of your business.

How do I manage my company’s workers’ compensation information?

Administrative Services. Administrative services are another important aspect to review when choosing a group rating program. When employers join the ORA Group Rating Plan, they are also partnering with CareWorks Consultants, Inc., one of the largest third party administrators in Ohio. In order to remain in a group rating program, companies must contain claims costs. Incurring excessive claims may cause an employer to be removed from a group rating program. Some third party administrators may offer a promised savings, but provide less than adequate claims service. Therefore, a company may save one year, incur a few claims which are not properly managed, then be removed from group rating altogether the next year.

ORA group members receive claims representation, rating analysis, hearing representation and more through our third party administrator. CareWorks Consultants is involved in the everyday account management of your workers’ compensation needs. The ORA and CareWorks Consultants go the extra mile to keep our members in our group rating plan. By employing powerful cost control techniques, we help our members continue to qualify year after year.

You save big premium dollars, hire experienced claims administrators and can attend valuable safety programs. This year alone, over 1,300 ORA members will save more than $4.5 million, or an average of $3,040 in workers’ compensation premiums through the ORA’s Workers’ Compensation Group Rating Plan!

What if I’m already with a group rating plan?

It pays to compare. All companies should annually review their group rating status. Through the ORA, you are entitled to receive a NO COST, NO OBLIGATION review of your potential workers’ compensation premium savings. Even if your company is currently enrolled in a group rating plan or did not qualify for group rating last year, we encourage you to take a look at us. Each year the BWC assigns new rates based on an employer’s payroll and experience. A company that did not previously qualify due to a penalty rating may qualify this year.

How Do I Enroll?

Sign up online at www.ohiorestaurant.org/grouprating or you can contact the ORA’s Laura Morrison via e-mail at lmorrison@ohiorestaurant.org or via telephone at 866-331-6424.

Workers’ Compensation Group Rating Calendar

• March to December - Obtain a workers’ compensation group rating application (AC-3), either from CareWorks Consultants or the ORA. Contact ORA’s Laura Morrison for your form: 614-246-0205

• January 25 - Deadline to return your group rating application to CareWorks Consultants.

• December to February - Current participants in CareWorks Consultants group rating programs receive renewal notifcation.

• October to February - New applicants receive either an enrollment packet and savings projection or a notifcation letter of disqualifcation.

• February 23 - Deadline to return enrollment packet. Your company will be fled as part of the group rating program.

• July 1 to June 30 - Workers’ compensation group rating year.

• December – January - First workers’ compensation premium savings on your BWC Payroll Report. Savings is shown directly off premium rates.

• July – August - Second workers’ compensation premium savings on your BWC Payroll Report. Savings is shown directly off premium rates. Group rating plan enrollment will automatically continue to the next rate year, as long as your company still meets the re-enrollment criteria.