Select a state or province from the map above to get primary contact and web information for any
member fund.

Alberta – WCB-Alberta

The Workers’ Compensation Board-Alberta’s opioid policy has been in place for more than seven years. The policy was put in place to ensure that prescribed opioids (narcotics) support treatment goals, including safe and early recovery, return to function and return to work. The policy is designed to reduce the risk that workers will be harmed by medications prescribed for chronic pain.

OxyContin is the brand name for the opioid drug oxycodone. It is intended to be used for extended pain relief. OxyContin was designed to be a time-released drug that would last for 12 hours. However, the extended release features were easily defeated by chewing, crushing or dissolving in a liquid for injection, making it easy to abuse and with a risk of overdose.

OxyContin was discontinued in 2012 and replaced by OxyNEO, an identical medication having tamper-resistant features. OxyNEO is crush-resistant, and when mixed with a liquid, becomes gel-like. The problem appeared to be resolved.  

However, the problem returned with the expiration of the OxyContin patent. Health Canada authorized the production of generic versions of OxyContin. This meant that Canadian pharmaceutical companies could manufacture a generic version of OxyContin and make it available for sale in pharmacies across the country.   

As of April 15, 2013, WCB-Alberta took a stand to help protect the province’s workers. The organization will only cover payments of OxyNEO, not the generic forms of OxyContin.

To share this decision, we have contacted workers, physicians and pharmacists to notify them about the changes, and how they would be affected. We have updated procedures in order to determine if workers’ claims involve a generic version of OxyContin, and to guide employees in those circumstances.

These new procedures are supported by other funding agencies and physicians, and are consistent with similar decisions made by other agencies. So far, the changes have been well received by the medical community and feedback has been strongly positive.  

Please visit http://www.wcb.ab.ca/public/policy/manual/0406p2a4.asp, http://www.rxlist.com/oxycontin-drug.htm and http://www.wcb.ab.ca/providers/opioid_mgmt.asp for more information.

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Colorado - Pinnacol

Recently, two Pinnacol employees were promoted to new roles as associate vice presidents. Amy Newton, who has been with Pinnacol for over 24 years, was promoted to the position of associate vice president of claims. Amit Chaudhuri, a relative newcomer to Pinnacol, but an insurance industry veteran with over 25 years of experience, has been promoted to associate vice president of underwriting.

Pinnacol’s third annual Continuing Education (CE) Day for agents was held May 1 at the Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management at the University of Denver. At this event, Pinnacol distributed more than 500 continuing education (CE) credits to participants. All the courses offered this year were new and included topics such as “Deconstructing a Workers’ Compensation Policy,” “Large Accounts: Pricing Alternatives and Underwriting,” “Legal Trends,” and more.

On Monday June 3, Pinnacol executives appeared before the Legislative Audit Committee of the Colorado General Assembly to report on the company’s audit findings for the years ending Dec. 31, 2012 and 2011. This audit is conducted under the authority of Colorado Revised Statutes, which authorizes the state auditor to conduct an annual audit.

Deloitte and Touche, who conducted the audit, issued a clean audit to Pinnacol, finding no “material weaknesses,” an accounting term defined as, “a significant deficiency in internal controls that results in more than a remote likelihood that a material misstatement of the financial statements will not be prevented or detected.”

Pinnacol’s recent employee silent auction raised $6,270, all of which will go to the Pinnacol Foundation and will fund two full scholarships. The Pinnacol Foundation Scholarship program helps the children of Colorado workers killed or seriously injured in a compensable work-related accident – regardless of insurance carrier – pay for a post-secondary education. Since its inception in 2000, the Foundation has awarded nearly $2.5 million in scholarships to nearly 350 students for undergraduate and vocational training.

On May 9, Pinnacol’s communications team received a Silver Pick Award from the Colorado chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) at its annual Gold Pick Awards dinner. The award was given for Pinnacol’s 2011 Annual Report “We Are Pinnacol.”

More than 120 medical providers attended Pinnacol’s annual SelectNet conference, which was held May 17 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver. SelectNet is Pinnacol’s occupational health network that provides quality care for workers injured on the job. The conference theme this year was “Asking the Tough Questions in Workers’ Comp.” Attendees included a variety of health care professionals from across the state including physicians, psychiatrists, occupational medical specialists and surgeons.

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Kentucky - KEMI

Jon Stewart Assumes Role as KEMI President and CEO

Jon E. Stewart assumed his role as President and CEO of KEMI effective June 1, 2013 following the retirement of Roger Fries.

"Jon is a respected leader at KEMI and has a proven track record in both the finance and insurance industries," said David Snowden, Chairman of the Board of Directors. "Under Roger's leadership for the last 18 years KEMI has achieved remarkable success, and after a nationwide search we have absolute confidence that Jon is the right person to lead the company into the future."

Stewart has been with KEMI since 1997. The last six years he has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of KEMI where he has managed all the financial aspects of the company. These responsibilities have included managing KEMI's investment portfolio, annual operating budgets and the rate-making process.

Stewart is a Certified Public Accountant and received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from The Ohio State University. He currently serves on several national insurance-related committees. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Kentucky Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Stewart lives in Nicholasville, Kentucky with his wife Melissa and their daughter Annie. Their son Hunter is currently attending Vanderbilt University.

KEMI Announces Multiple Leadership Promotions

KEMI is pleased to announce several promotions within our leadership team. Left to right in photo, above:

Randy Garland has been named Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer.

Jenny Whitis, SPHR has been appointed Vice President of Human Resources.

Paul Dillon has been promoted to Director of Special Investigations.

W. Kevin Ickes, Jr., Esq. has been promoted to Director of Legal Services.

Click on each name to read more about these promotions.

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Maine - MEMIC

MEMIC releases 2012 Annual Report

“Proven Success in Workers’ Compensation,” MEMIC’s 2012 Annual Report, was released during the company’s annual meeting on June 10 and highlights the metrics that illustrate our success over the last 20 years. The web-based 2012 MEMIC Annual Report can be viewed here.

Six Policyholders Honored for Outstanding Safety Programs

In June, MEMIC recognized six out of our group of nearly 20,000 policyholders at the Annual Meeting of Policyholders. These six employers were selected for their outstanding and ongoing commitment to workplace safety. Those recognized included a hospital, a plastics manufacturer, a supermarket group, a lumber company, a potato processor and an information technology company. A video featuring each employer and their message of workplace safety can be seen online.   

2013 Horizon Scholarship Awards Announced

To further our celebration, MEMIC awarded two $5,000 scholarships to the children of employees injured in the workplace. The Harvey Picker Horizon Scholarship, established in 2001, is awarded annually to the child or spouse of a worker who suffered a serious injury or death in the workplace. With the 2013 awards, we have granted scholarships totaling $100,000. Read the complete press release. 

MEMIC Employees Earn AMComp WCP Designations 

This spring, we were pleased to welcome a group of 16 MEMIC employees to the growing ranks of our workers’ compensation professionals.  Employees who achieve the WCP designation have shown their knowledge of the workers’ compensation field, including industry, coverage areas, claims, risk management, and pricing and standard employers liability policy, among other areas of specialty. Employees who received the designation are: Tom Bernier, Karen Barter, Joeline D’Anjou, Joanna DeBie, Karen Flaherty, Eileen Fongemie, Dawn Freeland, Susan Fusillo, Brian Gilles, Steve Hughes, Karen Johnston, Maria Jones, Jerry Mocciola, Steve Prue, Rod Stanley and Joanne Wohl.

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Maryland - IWIF

Lewis Powell appointed Board Chair

IWIF announces the appointment of Mr. Lewis C. Powell as Chairman of the Board after having served as Vice Chairman and Member since 2009. Mr. Powell replaces Mr. Leonard Schuler, Jr., who has assumed the role of Member on IWIF’s Board. Mr. Charles Dankmeyer is now Vice Chairman, after having served as Member since 2008. IWIF is headed by a nine-member Board appointed by the governor of Maryland for a maximum of two 5-year terms.

IWIF launches ad campaign to communicate new name

IWIF recently launched an advertising campaign to communicate the company’s conversion to Chesapeake Employers Insurance, which will take place October 1, 2013. The campaign includes print, digital, and radio advertisements and targets policyholders, Maryland business owners, and insurance agents. The message reminds the target audiences that IWIF’s name will change, but our commitment to providing quality workers’ compensation coverage and services in Maryland will remain as strong as ever.

New schools program introduced

Earlier this year, IWIF introduced a new schools program that offers special rates and a group dividend to qualifying primary, secondary, and collegiate schools as well as libraries and archives. This program is available to institutions domiciled in Maryland and pairs safety with savings by offering safety services designed to reduce workplace accidents. In all, IWIF offers 15 association and safety group programs.

4th Annual Workplace Wellness Symposium a huge success

More than 400 business professionals attended the 4^th Annual Workplace Health & Wellness Symposium on June 7, 2013. IWIF hosted the free event that featured U.S. Deputy Surgeon General RADM Boris D. Lushniak, M.D., M.P.H. as the keynote speaker, and Chris Crowley, New York Times best-selling author of Younger Next Year and Thinner This Year. Other national, regional and local health and wellness experts provided the latest information on:

• The importance of wellness and its impact on small businesses as it pertains to the Affordable Care Act and Maryland Health Connection, the State’s health benefits exchange;
• Creating a step-by-step plan for an effective workplace wellness program; and
• How to partner with free community resources

Janeen McLean assumes new position

Congratulations to Janeen McLean who recently assumed the Director of Compliance Programs position. In her new role, Janeen works in partnership with IWIF’s Chief Compliance Officer, Rona Finkelstein, providing guidance to IWIF’s business leaders, employees and Board of Directors in matters relating to compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations, and with IWIF’s Code of Conduct. Together, they proactively assess operational units’ business practices and make recommendations that foster a culture of compliance and advocate high standards of quality, integrity, and ethical performance. Janeen joined IWIF in January 2000, serving two years as a Territorial Marketing Director and 11 years as Director of Corporate Services.

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Montana - Montana State Fund

Montana State Fund Lowers Rates for 2014 Policy Year

Montana State Fund’s (MSF) Board of Directors announced a six percent (6%) rate decrease for the policy year effective July 1, 2013. Since 2007 MSF has lowered average rates to Montana businesses by 34.5%.

“This rate reduction is another example of how our policyholders have invested in keeping their employees injury-free,” said Laurence Hubbard, President and CEO of MSF. “Focusing on safety in the workplace and getting injured employees back to work as soon as medically appropriate helps control rising insurance costs, and the results are tangible.”

According to Hubbard, MSF’s service teams partner with customers to build and implement strong safety and return-to-work programs. In addition, MSF claims professionals efficiently manage each claim by working closely with medical providers, injured employees and policyholders.

MSF board chair Elizabeth Best added,” These efforts contributed to the MSF distribution of a $10 million dividend among our policyholders earlier this year. Our hope is that this will encourage employers to invest in additional safety measures for other stakeholder employees.”

Proactive Safety Campaign in the Oil Fields

Hundreds of new businesses and tens of thousands of workers have recently come to the Bakken oil fields in the northeast corner of Montana. For these workers – drawn by the allure of economic opportunity – the possibility of injury is all too real given the long hours and tough working conditions. That is why Montana State Fund launched a Bakken safety awareness campaign in April 2013. Our objective: encourage workers and managers in the Bakken oil fields to be personally accountable for their own safety and the safety of their peers.

Our media was an integrated marketing approach and a bit unconventional. In northeast Montana there is a lot of drive time between towns and the oil fields, so we needed to reach workers in transit. And with travel comes gas stops. With that in mind, we placed radio and billboard ads where we could, and supplemented the rural areas with placements on gas pumps and pump handles. In the Bakken, workers often work 12- to 16-hour shifts with little downtime and live in cramped housing often far from family and friends. Therefore off-duty workers tend to visit local cafes and taverns. In these establishments we posted ads in bathroom stalls. On both the gas toppers and bathroom stall ads we encouraged workers to learn more safety tips by going to our website, where we offer tips specific for Bakken workers and managers.

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New York - NYSIF

NYSIF Mourns H. Sidney Holmes, III

NYSIF suffered the loss of Commissioner and Acting Chairman H. Sidney Holmes, III, who died on April 15, 2013, following an illness. He was 69.

“Chairman Holmes provided distinguished service to NYSIF in his time on the Board, particularly as vice chairman and acting chairman over the past two years, guiding the Fund through a period of growth and modernization,” Chief Executive Deputy Director Dennis Hayes said. “His leadership was instrumental to NYSIF’s sustained success during a period of significant change in the workers’ compensation insurance industry.”

Commissioner Holmes served on the NYSIF Board of Commissioners from June 2008, as vice chairman from January 2010, and as acting chairman from October 2012. He also served as a commissioner on the Board of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and served on the Board of Directors at the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation.

A senior counsel in the New York law office of Winston & Strawn, LLP, Mr. Holmes had substantial experience in public finance, serving as bond counsel, underwriters’ counsel and bank counsel in virtually every type of municipal bond financing throughout the United States and its territories.

New All-in-One Booklet

Information about all of the resources NYSIF has to offer is now contained in a single, new guide entitled, Welcome to NYSIF. Available at www.nysif.com, the welcome booklet is an all-in-one resource for NYSIF policyholders, prospective businesses and other stakeholders.

Published this year, the booklet replaces a variety of individual brochures mailed to new policyholders, helping NYSIF save on printing and mailing costs. Located on NYSIF’s Publications page, Welcome to NYSIF covers NYSIF products, publications and web services, encouraging customers to self-serve and offering links to corresponding web pages.

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Nova Scotia – WCB-NS

Annual Report

The Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia released its 2012 annual report, “Together for safety,” in early April. For another consecutive year, Nova Scotia has made progress in keeping its workforce safe and secure from injury.

The report highlights the continued decline of time-loss injuries in Nova Scotia. In 2012, injuries that resulted in time off from work fell by 4.3% to 6,341. That means that there were 19,000 fewer lost days of work last year.

Since 2005, workplace injuries have declined by 22% overall, with a 30% reduction in serious injuries.

Download the WCB annual report here.

Threads of Life

Kicking off NAOSH Week, staff from the WCB participated in the annual Steps for Life walk in support of Threads of Life. Threads of Life is a national registered Canadian charity dedicated to supporting families who have suffered from a workplace fatality, life-altering illness or occupational disease.

More than 50 WCB staff participated in the five kilometre walks in Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia, raising more than $5,000.

Supporting Fishermen

The Province of Nova Scotia has a proud, but tragic, fishing legacy. Earlier this year, after six fishermen drowned over a period of just a few weeks, the WCB ­– in conjunction with the Fisheries Safety Association of Nova Scotia (FSANS) and other safety partners – began developing a strategy to end heartbreak in the sector. Most recently, WCB CEO Stuart MacLean and representatives from FSANS were in Lismore, Nova Scotia as the Maritime Fishers Union Local 404 outfitted its entire membership with personal flotation devices.

In photo above: WCBNS CEO Stuart MacLean wears a PFD while in Lismore, Nova Scotia.

Ohio - BWC 

Big news for Ohio businesses: BWC Board of Directors approves $1 billion rebate, reduction in private employer rates

Ohio employers already paying lower workers’ compensation premiums due to overall base-rate decreases will now also receive $1 billion in cash rebates.  During their May board meeting, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) Board of Directors unanimously approved Governor John R. Kasich’s proposal to leverage BWC’s strong financial position by returning $1 billion to 210,000 Ohio employers.  In a separate action, the board signed off on a 2.1% average reduction in base rates for private employers that brings their 3-year premium savings to an estimated $224 million.

“The Board’s actions in providing a rebate and reducing base rates made it a banner day for business in Ohio,” said BWC Administrator/CEO Steve Buehrer. “We’re pleased prudent management and smart investing at BWC are paying off, literally, for hundreds of thousands of Ohio’s private and public employers.” 

The cash rebate to private employers and public employer taxing districts is made possible by larger-than-expected fund balances at BWC generated by strong investment management. The entire plan totals $1.9 billion and also calls for:

• Expanding BWC’s successful Safety Grant Program from $5 million to $15 million to support increased statewide efforts that promote workplace safety and encourage further investment in protecting Ohio’s workers. Steps are already being taken to expand the program and increase overall safety efforts this summer.
• Modernizing how premiums are collected in Ohio by moving to a prospective-payment system and subsequently requesting the board issue an additional $900 million premium credit to mitigate transition costs. This switch would also result in rate reductions of 2 percent for private employers and 4 percent for public employers. This requires authorization by the legislature, which is currently considering the action.

The 2.1 percent base-rate reduction for private employers is for the 2014 policy year, which runs July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014. It represents an aggregate savings of $29 million over 2013 premium collections. The reduction follows a 4% rate decrease in 2012 and flat rates in 2013.  Rates for Ohio public employer taxing districts have also decreased in recent years and are currently at a 30-year low.

“Our goal is to ensure a financially strong workers’ compensation system that provides a safety net for generations of Ohio workers while being a partner in improving our state’s business environment and growing our economy,” said Buehrer.

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Oregon – SAIF Corporation

Winners announced for high school video competition

Each year SAIF Corporation in Oregon cosponsors a high school video competition on young worker safety. The theme of the competition is “Speak Up. Work Safe.”

Students are asked to create a video with a teen job safety and health message. Videos are judged on creativity, production value, youth appeal, and the overall safety and health message.

This year’s winning video, “Safety: The Musical,” took a light-hearted musical look at the serious issue of young worker safety. The two students performing in the video also wrote their own songs. The two students won $500 to share, and their high school also received $500.

You can find a list of all winners, at youngemployeesafety.org. To see the winning videos, as well as the other finalists, go to youtube.com/user/OregonSafetyHealth.

The creators of the top videos were presented their awards in April during a special screening in Salem.

In addition to SAIF, sponsors include Oregon OSHA, local chapters of the American Society of Safety Engineers, the Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology, Liberty Northwest, Hoffman Construction, Central Oregon Safety and Health Association, the Labor Education and Research Center, SHARP Alliance, Oregon Health Authority, and SafeBuild Alliance. The contest is organized by O[yes], the Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition.

SAIF publishes 2011-12 Corporate Social Responsibility report

The SAIF 2011-12 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report is now online at saif.com. The report highlights SAIF’s work in safety, wellness, diversity and inclusion, community outreach, and the environment.

The CSR report highlights SAIF’s accomplishments in the areas of policyholder safety and wellness, SAIF workforce safety and wellness, diversity and inclusion, community outreach, and the environment.

“A lot has been achieved in the last two years,” said President and CEO Brenda Rocklin, “because our employees continue to step up and demonstrate leadership in each of these areas. And, as the report shows, that benefits all Oregonians.”

The progress documented in the 2011-12 CSR report builds on SAIF’s efforts in 2009 and 2010, with updates on the major categories and the addition of wellness.

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Saskatchewan – WCB, Saskatchewan

Health and Safety Leadership Charter Research Project

In 2010 Work Safe Saskatchewan (WSS), in partnership with Safe Saskatchewan, launched the Health and Safety Leadership Charter. Since then, 309 organizations have signed the Charter at annual events in Saskatchewan. Last year, the University of Regina Centre for Management Development approached WSS and Safe Saskatchewan to do an evaluation of the program.

Sean Tucker, assistant professor heading the research project, explains “The survey is important because it’s a golden opportunity for organizations to find out what employees think about safety and to benchmark their progress and where to move from there.”

More than 60 companies participated in the survey that included front line workers, supervisors, senior managers, and CEOs. Results are currently under peer review and the final report on the project will be available soon.    

"This survey is valuable feedback for the leadership of the signatory companies and it was extraordinary for us that we were chosen as an OHS initiative to be studied in this way. These results will have an impact on our future development of the Charter program," says Phil Germain, Vice President, Prevention, Saskatchewan WCB.

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Texas – Texas Mutual

Mark your calendar: 2013 AASCIF Conference

Texas Mutual is excited to host the 2013 AASCIF Annual Conference in Austin from July 14-17, 2013. Austin is the capital of Texas and the Live Music Capital of the World. Our agenda includes a full slate of educational and networking opportunities. You will also have plenty of time to explore our city during sponsored events or on your own. To get information about the conference and to register, visit aascif2013.com.

We also encourage you to follow our AASCIF 2013 blog and subscribe to our Twitter feed @AASCIF2013.

Board approves $175M dividend distribution

Texas Mutual’s board of directors approved the company’s plan to distribute $175 million in dividends among approximately 40,000 qualifying policyholders in 2013.

This is the 15th consecutive year the board has voted to distribute policyholder dividends, bringing the total to almost $1.4 billion. The company has paid the majority of that total – $1 billion – since 2007.

Campaign promotes safe driving in oil and gas industry

The oil and gas industry is booming in Texas. With increased production has come a rise in traffic-related accidents. This summer, Texas Mutual launched its Give Safety a Hand campaign to promote safe driving behaviors among oil and gas workers.

Employee giving campaign earns recognition

The United Way recently recognized Texas Mutual’s 2012 employee giving campaign. The company earned recognition for Women’s Leadership Council participation and for serving as United Way Brand Ambassadors.

Yurkovich rejoins Texas Mutual

Texas Mutual is excited to welcome Joe Yurkovich back to the fold as senior vice president of strategic planning and policyholder services. Joe most recently served as region president for the Southern Region at SeaBright Insurance Company. Prior to that, he served as senior vice president of underwriting at Texas Mutual.