Media Advisory: June 5, 2008

BWC Issues Progress Report, Details Ongoing Reform Efforts

One year after passage of HB 100, agency is achieving improvement goals

COLUMBUS – The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) issued a progress report today, one year after the passage of House Bill 100. The bill triggered a series of organizational and operational reforms to Ohio’s workers’ compensation system.

The progress report details reforms outlined in HB 100, including the creation of a new BWC Board of Directors. It also covers operational reform efforts aimed at providing stable costs, better services, accurate rates and safe workplaces for Ohio’s work force and its employers.

Please click on the following report for a complete outline of these reform efforts:

Restoring Operational Excellence:
Comprehensive, Customer-Focused Reform of Ohio’s Workers’ Compensation System

“The progress report released today outlines the accomplishments and the numerous changes currently under way at BWC,” said Administrator Marsha Ryan. “There is much work to be done; however, we are on a steady path to comprehensively improve the performance of Ohio’s workers’ compensation system.”

Since Gov. Ted Strickland signed HB 100 on June 11, 2007, BWC has sought to improve the pricing equity for all Ohio employers. These actions include reducing the overall premium rates for private employers by 5 percent and a 10-percent reduction for universities and state agencies. BWC will also soon implement a new, more accurate and transparent reserving system to better calculate the reserves necessary for medical coverage of specific work related injuries.

“The BWC budget bill laid the groundwork for intense change and improvement for Ohio’s workers’ compensation system,” said Ryan. “Ohio’s employers and injured workers depend on an accurate, fair and stable BWC. It is imperative that we provide that to them. Restoring Operational Excellence serves as a road map of the journey BWC has taken in the past year, and where we will go in the future to restore the integrity of the agency and most importantly, the confidence of all Ohioans.”

For more information about BWC programs and services, visit ohiobwc.com.

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Contact: Keary McCarthy
mccarthy.keary@bwc.state.oh.us