News and Updates
Category: EMR
2024 Spring Cleaning
Things are in bloom in Ohio, which is a sure sign of spring…even on the days it doesn’t feel like it. For many people, this means spring cleaning - opening windows, organizing the garage, and getting rid of outmoded things that don’t really serve you anymore. Your business relationships should be evaluated right along with those beat-up gardening gloves that you’re hesitating to throw out. Employers have good intentions of doing this at the end of the year, but things get in the way and it often doesn’t happen. So why not do some spring cleaning with your vendors and administrative tasks? Here are some questions you might want to consider: Has your payroll processor been easy for both you and your employees to reach with questions or urgent issues? Is your workers’ comp TPA proactively managing claims in addition to processing paperwork? Is Ohio BWC’s one-size-fits-all approach working for you? If your company offers FMLA, does your staff feel 100% confident managing the program and claims from a compliance perspective? Did your broker do their best to shop and present you with the best renewal options? Are they talking to you about different plan designs, or only fully-funded? Unemployment claims and fraud have both been running rampant. Is that a task you want to keep in-house? Is your EMR in the right range to win RFPs, and pass checks with vetting software like ISNetWorld and Avetta? If yo
BWC to Host Open Forum on ACES
On October 14, BWC will host an open forum with TPAs to discuss the impact of their new reserve system called ACES. Spooner’s goal is to convince BWC that this system is overestimating reserves for lost time claims (as well as some medical only claims) that will have a dramatic effect on Group Retro refunds for the 2020 policy year and future years. This could also have a negative impact on employers’ EMRs for the 2023 policy year. BWC implemented this new system of calculating reserves in January 2021. As early as June, we began noticing reserves jumping to nearly 4-5 times what they would have been under the previous system and industry standard, MIRA II. We shared another update in August, after reviewing the first round of results for 2020 Group Retro and finding that 68% of pools could face a first year assessment, as opposed to getting a refund from the program. These open forums held by BWC are a platform for TPAs to voice concerns over certain policy and procedure changes that may negatively impact Ohio businesses. Spooner is an Ohio business, and our family of companies make it a priority to fight for policy changes that will have a positive impact on the business community that we’re so proud to be a part
Are You Losing Business Because of a High EMR?
If so, Surety HR’s Self-Insured Professional Employer Organization (PEO) may be able to reduce your EMR (Experience Modifier Rate). Many industries require businesses to submit their EMR to bid on both private and public projects and contract renewals. If your EMR is too high, you may not even be able to bid on a specific project. This is predominant in construction, but also affects employers in manufacturing, logistics and several other industries. Typically any vendor on a federal site such as an Air Force Base will be required to submit their EMR as well. If your company has an EMR over 1.00 and it's costing you jobs, let’s talk! If you have concerns about your EMR, please email Brian Davis at
