Opt Out 2nd Panel – WCRI Conference
These are the Opt Out 2nd Panel of WCRI conference blogging live.
Presenters –
- Bruce C Wood- American Insurance Association
- Elizabeth Bailey- Waffle House
- Alan Pierce – Workers Injury Law and Advocacy Group
- James Mills- Oklahoma Insurance Department
Great Panel
Bruce Wood- Basically not a proponent of Oklahoma Opt Out – Is flawed and should be enacted
Elizabeth Bailey – Waffle House- Texas Opt out only – no Oklahoma
- Texas WC system was broken
- Medical providers were cost drivers not attorneys
- Lifetime medical benefits
Key Benefits-
- Cost reduction
- No litigation – virtually
- Medical provider selection
- Plan flexibility
- Improved workplace safety program
- Improved communication
- Decrease in claim cost
- Claims cost reduced 57%
- Indemnity costs down 99%
- Overall savings $9.7 million
- Indemnity claims were reduced from $6,502 per restaurant to $65
- 5 litigated claims since 2003
- Last attorney involvement was 2011
Waffle House = Impressive Employer with good communication
Alan Pierce – we may be forgetting the employee in the process
- Opt out is inconsistent with access to administrative courts and due process
- Workers compensation is not another Employer benefit plan
- WC is a right owned by and owned to workers
James Mills – Oklahoma Department of Insurance
- Consumer oriented
- Most expensive Workers Comp state
- Not data driven issue
- Title 85 of Statutes
- Work Comp
ActCode - Used to be one of two court-based systems
- Senate Bill 62 = Comprehensive reform > 200 pages
- Opt Out
- Residual Market reform
No more room at the table for any more parties in the Workers Comp process
Early medical treatment is a cost reduction driver
Oklahoma option will change and grow over time.
Question to James Mills concerning employee choice of medical treatment – is it a benefit?
Very good comment – lowering claim reporting does not equate to better safety
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