Workers' Comp FAQ’s

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

How do I manage my company's workers' compensation information? It's very confusing!

Why are workers’ compensation group rating plan administration fees due prior to the start of the new group year they are applied to?

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 significant discount on workers' compensation 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 reflect the group discounted rate.

Why the ORA Group Rating Plan?

The ORA Group Rating Stability. Currently, more than 1,300 companies participate in the ORA's group rating plan. More sizable groups allow for greater protection because the larger and more industry-specific the group, the less vulnerable it is to projection fluctuations. Additionally, via the ORA’s partnership with CareWorks Consultants, Inc. (CCI), we are able to offer our members the only group rating program specifically designed for the restaurant industry. ORA’s group plan helps employers achieve the highest group rating discount possible.

Experience and Service. The ORA group rating plan, administered through a 20-year partnership with CareWorks Consultants, Inc, annually maintains a high rate of member satisfaction. This year alone, we experienced a 92% retention rate. How important is this to you? You’ll never see the benefits of having such a qualified team working on your behalf unless you join the ORA group rating plan and allow us to protect you from a future claim that could impact your operations.

A Team to Support You. When you choose the ORA Group, you automatically add a team of experts to your staff. These individuals will work hard to provide you with claims management services; risk management services; hearing representation and information technology.

RiskControl360° – As a safety partner, they will help minimize claims through a free safety inspection and evaluation and by providing comprehensive risk management education. No one else can offer you the level of service and commitment tailored for your foodservice needs like RiskControl360° can.
CareWorks Consultants, Inc. – As a group TPA, the company’s expert staff are specifically assigned to help you navigate through the process. For 20 years, CareWorks Consultants, Inc. has been providing ORA members with total workers' compensation cost control solutions.
CareWorks – A managed care organization (MCO) of more than 150,000 Ohio employers who provide our members with high quality medical management services for workplace injury claims. CareWorks remains focused on getting your injured workers the care they need and getting their lives back on track.

Savings. ORA’s group plan is projected to save $4.5 million this year with the average ORA plan member saving $3,040 in premiums.

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

It Pays to Compare. Annually, all companies should 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. CLICK HERE to complete a no-cost, no-obligation AC-3 form today!

How Do I Enroll?

CLICK HERE to sign up online or contact the ORA's Laura Morrison or toll-free at (866) 331-6424.

How do I manage my company’s worker’s compensation information? It’s very confusing!

Administrative Services. Administrative services are another important aspect to review when choosing a group rating program. When employers join the Ohio Restaurant Association group rating plan, they also partner with CareWorks Consultants, Inc., (CCI), one of Ohio's largest third-party administrators. Because of the partnership, ORA Workers' Compensation Group Plan members also receive the services offered through CareWorks Consultants, Inc. 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 and then be removed altogether from group rating the next year.

ORA group members receive claims representation, rating analysis, hearing representation and more through our third-party administrator. CareWorks Consultants, Inc. is involved in the everyday account management of your workers' compensation needs. ORA and CareWorks Consultants, Inc. 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.

With the ORA's workers' compensation partner, CareWorks Consultants, Inc. (CCI) you save big premium dollars, hire experienced claims administrators and gain access to valuable safety programs. In the current 2011/12 plan year alone, more than 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.

Why are workers’ compensation group rating plan administration fees due prior to the start of the new group year they are applied to?

Third Party Administrators (TPA) issue renewal invoices for the next group rating policy year in the December timeframe to provide clients with ample time to pay the fees by the end of February, established in compliance with the timeframe of new group rating plan filing according to the State of Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation’s mandatory open enrollment period. Due to Ohio BWC deadlines, TPA’s must file groups by February 24 for the next policy year, in this case the 2012/13 policy year, which begins July 1, 2012. ORA’s TPA – CareWorks Consultants, Inc. (CCI) – asks that companies renew by the February deadline to ensure they are filed in the group. Invoices distributed are for the July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013 year and, per the BWC, the group needs to be filed and confirmed by the TPA on February 24, 2012.