Group Rating

Participation in one of CRM’s group rating programs can save employers thousands of dollars in workers’ compensation premiums. As a Third-Party Administrator (TPA), through our various groups, we can offer discounts depending on past claims experience.

The group-rated workers’ compensation programs are sponsored by the National Business Council and Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC). To be eligible for group rating, an employer must be a member of the sponsoring organization.

As the endorsed provider of the NBC and ABC programs, CRM brings together companies from similar industries. We match these companies and form groups for the purposes of achieving maximum discounts and handling claims, as well as for safety and loss control.

Once a company is in a group rating program, CRM handles the day-to-day claims management. We also work closely with the law firm of Ross, Brittain & Schonberg Co., L.P.A. for any of the legal issues that may arise in defending workers’ compensation claims.

Non-Group Rating

For clients not eligible for group rating, CRM offers a penalty-rated program. In this program, in addition to managing claims, we review the risks to make sure an employer is being assessed properly for all claims. We analyze past claims to determine what can be done to help reduce the claim costs, which will in turn, lower the premium costs for the employer. We also work with the employer to help the company eventually achieve eligibility in a group rating program.

At CRM, we are proactive in our approach to settling claims and obtaining handicap reimbursements. For hearings and other legal matters, clients can use their own legal counsel or retain the services of Ross, Brittain & Schonberg Co., L.P.A.

Alternative Discount Program

Many companies, for different reasons, may not qualify for a group rating program. However, there are numerous alternative methods to reduce your premium.

Drug Free Safety Program – Eligible employers who implement a drug-free workplace can receive either a 4% or 7% premium rebate depending on the level chosen. There are programs strategies that need to be implemented and successfully satisfied in order to receive the discount. The requirements are easy to execute and many companies may already follow such practices.
DEADLINE: Private: last business day in May / Public: last business day in Nov
Retrospective Rating (Individual) – This program offers employers the opportunity to pay a percentage of premiums while funding, dollar for dollar, any claims incurred during a particular year. This program has advantages from a cash flow standpoint. However, the main disadvantage is that the claims incurred during a retro year are the employer’s responsibility for 10 years. At the end of 10 years, the employer is also responsible for “buying out” any reserve on the claim.
DEADLINE: Private: last business day in Jan / Public: last business day in July
Deductible (Large and Small) – This program offers discounts to employers that are willing to take on a portion of the cost of each claim. The deductibles range from $500 per claim up to $200,000 per claim and the discounts range from 2% to 77%. Our office can run an analysis to determine if this program would provide savings based on an employers’ historical losses.
DEADLINE: Private: last business day in Jan / Public: last business day in July
100% EM Capping – This program is offered to employers that are being rejected from a standard group rating program. If the program requirements are met, your experience modifier rate will not increase by more than 100% from the prior year, which minimizes significant premium increases. The requirements include completion of a half-day industry-specific safety class offered by the BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene.
DEADLINE: Private employers are notified of their eligibility by mail in March / Public employers are notified of their eligibility by mail in September
Wage Continuation – Although wage continuation cannot suppress reserve charges on a claim, paying wages in lieu of temporary total disability can still have a positive impact on employer rates going forward. A case by case analysis should be done on any claims where wage continuation is being considered.
DEADLINES DO NOT APPLY
Group Retrospective Rating – In this program, employers group together to receive potential discounts, similar to the standard group rating program. However, in this scenario, all employers in a group pay their individual premiums up front and depending on the combined claim performance of the group, the members may receive dividends back from the BWC. One downfall of this program is there is potential that the group members could owe additional premium if the group's losses are excessive.
DEADLINE: Private: last business day in Jan / Public: last business day in July
Safety Councils – The Safety Council program allows employers to receive a 2% participation rebate for attending 10 safety meetings per year hosted by approved Safety Councils. There is also potential to earn an additional 2% performance bonus if claims frequency OR severity decreases by 10% or is maintained at zero.
DEADLINE: For fiscal year 2017 rebate, employers must enroll in a Safety Council by 7/30/2016.
Industry Specific Safety - Employers who commit to completing a number of loss prevention activities can receive up to 3% premium rebate. The number of activities required depends on the amount of annual payroll reported by an employer. Activities include attendance at an industry specific safety class, on-site safety consultation, and attendance at The Ohio Safety Congress & Expo.
DEADLINE: Private: last business day in May / Public: last business day in Nov
One Claim Program -This program was designed to help group-rated employers who have one significant claim entering their experience that will cause them to lose future group eligibility. If the program requirements are met each year, the employer can receive a discount for the 4-year duration of the claim. The first-year discount is 20% with a 5% decrease each following year.
DEADLINE: Private: last day in Jan / Public: last day in July
Grow Ohio Program - As an incentive to bring new business into Ohio, new employers are offered two premium discount options effective on the first day of coverage: (1) join a group-rating program and receive a premium discount up to 53%; or (2) receive an automatic 25% discount. Both options require new employers to complete one of the following: a Safety Survey, or 2 hours of safety training, or complete the Safety Management Self-Assessment.
DEADLINE: New employers have 30 days from the date their policy is finalized to enroll in a group rating program.
$15K Medical Only - Employers participating in this program agree to pay up to $15,000 in medical and pharmacy bills per claim and are responsible for the bills in all medical-only claims (claims with seven or fewer lost days from work) with injury dates after the enrollment effective date. This program requires you to keep detailed records of all work-related injuries. There is also a federal requirement in this program to report certain claims to Medicare beginning July 2010.
NO DEADLINE: Employers can enroll in this program at any time.
Transitional Work Program - In this program, employers must be willing to accommodate injured workers with appropriate transitional work tasks when released to return to work with restrictions by their physician. The cost benefits may include reducing compensation payments and lowering claims reserves. Employers with an approved transitional work plan may receive a back-end bonus for using the plan to return injured workers back to work. The potential incentive is up to a 10-percent bonus for using an established transitional work program, which is applicable to claims with dates of injury within that bonus year of program participation.
DEADLINE: Private: last business day in May / Public: last business day in Nov

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