Comp Quotes | spring 2021

A message from CEO Kerry Barnett

In the coming weeks, SAIF's board of directors will announce a new president and CEO, and we will set in motion a transition to a new company leader.

We've prepared for this. Leadership transitions are a natural and healthy part of the lifecycle of any organization. I'm confident this will be a smooth handoff and that our important work will continue without missing a beat. SAIF has strong leadership at every level. This transition will provide an opportunity for growth and new perspectives. We have a strong succession plan to ensure continuous extraordinary service to all of our customers.

SAIF deeply values its partnerships with agents. It's one of our core strengths. I've been fortunate to meet with many of you over the past six years to hear your thoughts about SAIF and to further our common mission. Please keep the good ideas coming, whether it's through your agency's SAIF contact, executive leadership, or the new CEO. We are committed to maintaining an exceptional agency experience with SAIF.

SAIF has been around more than 100 years because it is resilient and is fully committed to our mission and vision. The organization has a bright future ahead. Thank you for your continued partnership and service to Oregon's employers.

---

Update from the Capitol

We are now about two-thirds of the way through the legislative session. There were a number of bills that would have had major impacts on the system, but most have died.

Legislators have looked to the Management Labor Advisory Committee (MLAC) for guidance and to work out issues in workers' compensation. They've asked MLAC to take up two of the bills that SAIF was most concerned with.

The first, SB 489, proposed by the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, would eliminate the limitation on retroactive time-loss benefits authorized by attending physicians, and limit insurers' ability to recover overpayments. SAIF, along with defense attorneys and business groups, have suggested several additional time-loss adjustments and at the direction of MLAC are currently negotiating these issues with OTLA.

The second bill, SB 801, was filed on behalf of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. One amendment - which was dropped - would have required SAIF to process all self-insured employers' claims. Another would have created a legislative task force to study how self-insurance claims processing and results compare to other insurers' claim processing. SAIF and a coalition of business and government groups were successful in having the issue studied by MLAC first before being taken up by the legislature.

One bill that passed and two that are likely to pass:

HB 2039 | Allows for cloud storage of insurers' workers' comp records and makes several minor changes to outdated provisions. Status: Waiting for the governor's signature

HB 2040 | Allows WCD to require the electronic submission of claims

HB 3188 | This bill from Rep. Holvey of Eugene changes to the definition of "employer" and "worker" in the law. An amendment raises the pay for casual labor comp exemption from $500 to $1000, with the amount indexed to inflation.

Bills of note that died:
HB 3025, SB 489, and SB 801 (amendments) | These three bills proposed difficult-to-rebut presumptions for COVID-19 claims acceptance for more than one-third of the Oregon workforce.

Overall it's looking to not be a significant session for workers' comp. We'll give you a wrap-up of the session in the next issue of Comp Quotes.

---

AGC retro return timeline change

The AGC group retro is evaluated every year on July 1. Due to process improvements gained by the implementation of Guidewire, the evaluation will happen as scheduled on July 1, 2021, but we will be able to provide information regarding the results earlier and checks will also be generated earlier than they have in the past.

During the week of July 12, SAIF agency marketing specialists will be in contact with agents representing employers participating in the AGC group retro product for the 2019-20 policy period. They will provide the relevant facts regarding the retro return as well as each agency's list of participating employers. They will also provide information on how to easily sort and retrieve the documents from the agency inbox that will be available on July 17 via Business Online.

Of note: In the past, the AGC retro evaluations were mailed by SAIF with the retro return checks to the policyholders. However, the AGC evaluation will now be treated like all other retros evaluated in Guidewire and it will be the agents' responsibility to provide the retro evaluation to the employer.

Checks will be mailed the week of July 26. The check will include a brief letter, but the evaluation will not be included with the check.

All steps in the AGC evaluation process are documented in the timeline.

If you have questions, please contact your agency marketing specialist.

---

Discounts announced for OGSERP members

SAIF partners with over 20 trade and business associations that endorse SAIF as their workers' comp carrier of choice. Employers who have a better-than-average loss history and meet the group program-specific eligibility criteria may qualify to participate in one of these group programs and receive the benefits of group participation.

One of the potential benefits is a supplemental group discount (Oregon Group Supplemental Experience Rating Program or OGSERP) if they meet the necessary underwriting criteria, and if the group has earned a discount.

SAIF has received NCCI validation and DCBS approval for July 1, 2021, OGSERP filings with the following discounts:

Discount percentage	Group name
1	Associated Oregon Loggers
9	CIS
6	Gossard & Associates Inc.
3	Home Builders Association
5	Northwest Auto Trades Association
2	Oregon AGLINK
8	Oregon Business Industry CompSAFE
10	Oregon Fuels Association
10	Oregon Medical Group Management Association
2	Oregon Public Employers Group
1	Oregon Wheat Growers League
2	Oregon Employers Coalition*

* Subgroups of Oregon Employers Coalition:

• Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce
• Independent Electrical Contractors of Oregon
• National Electrical Contractors Association
• Northwest Tire Dealers Association
• Oregon Concrete and Aggregate Producers Association
• Technology Association of Oregon

Get more information about all of SAIF's group programs.

---

News in brief

• We will email a list of frequently asked dividend questions to you in June.

• Reminder: Last year we increased our commission for new sales; we are continuing the higher, first-year new sales commission this year, too.
• Mark your calendars for SAIF's 30th annual workers' compensation seminar -- May 5, 2022 at the Salem Conference Center.