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The Importance of Proper Program Placement Group Rating Vs. Group Retro Program

Spooner Inc., has partnered with Virteom to engage our customers and users about our services and the technology behind the scenes. In our video series, Jacqui and Joe talk about what Spooner Inc., does and how it all works! This video is all about our program placement and getting the best placement for customers. Watch or read the transcription below!

What is Spooner's Program Placement?

Everything has to start with an AC3 form which is a temporary authorization, it allows us to give a company quote. There's no obligation or cost to it, but once we have that we're able to take a screenshot of a company's history and then see what's a good fit for them. 

There are two main programs that exist. The first is our group rating, this is an upfront discount. It's like you're safe drivers discount. Essentially, if you have not received any speeding tickets in a while, we'll give you a little bit of a cheaper rate. 

What is the Group Retrospective Program?

Group retro is when you've had a couple of speeding tickets, but they monitor your driving to ensure you're a safe driver, so this puts more pressure on your driving performance. Based on your performance you can get refund checks. That's what the group retrospective program is. Below is a diagram to show you how it breaks down. 

Determining Your Rating and How It Plays Out | An Example

Group Rating Versus Group Retrospective - How to Get Placed in the Proper Program for My Organization

On the left under group premium, it says 41 percent. Now, the most you can get in group rating is 53 percent. That is the safest of safe drivers if you will. That 41 percent is a pretty good average, it's not bad.

When I talk to companies about what they're looking at in terms of group rating if you're getting over 40 percent it's hard to walk away from because it's pretty close to guaranteed.

But that's all you're going to get. You're going to get that $83,000. So, it's kind of guaranteed as long as no other companies that maybe came from a different situation and had some claims that people didn't know about get slid into that group.

How Safe a Driver Are You? Claims Management & Performance Based Rates

On the right, you're looking at the group retro premium and you're going to end up paying more up front - that's that $105,000. This is the performance based one (group retro). In this situation, you're going to pay more upfront then based on how you and the rest of the group you're in performs from a claims standpoint. It really does ultimately boil down to how safe they are. 

Some of the other factors that they consider in claims management is how well are those costs mitigated. You can end up getting more in refunds and there's a premium side factor discount, which is something we'll go over in another video blog with you guys. But essentially, if you have a certain size and you're not participating in group rating, you're going to get an upfront discount. For this company it was $13,184.

The upfront premium paid comes down to $92,000, and then you look at those retro refunds paid and what we generally are forecasting for our clients is about 40%.

That's not guaranteed because the group has a bunch of catastrophic claims. You're not going to necessarily see those refunds, but if they perform well and at the conservative number that we put, $33,000 is a very attainable number. You take that off of there and you're going to have to wait a few years down the road until you get those refund checks. However, you could end up looking at a net premium of $58,000, which is $25,000 in the good versus the $83,000. 

Spooner Evaluates Your Unique Situation to Determine the Right Program

The company in this example is an actual client of ours. They did go with group retro, but this is something we try to go through with our clients and let them know they have options.

It's not just us mailing out a quote. Take a look and let us walk through it with you and see which one makes sense for your business. Rather than taking a look at a bunch of quotes and just trying to you know pick based on price, make sure that you're going with the option that's right for you and for your company. 

Joe over at Spooner is the man to help you out if you want to know your options for program placement. Contact us today or request a free quote. We’ll be sure to sit down and meet with you to see what program is right for you!
 

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BWC's Risk Management Essentials Program

Posted By Brandy King
April 25, 2025 Category: General

Ohio BWC recently announced a new rebate program called Risk Management Essentials (RME). If your company enrolls and meets the requirements, this program could help your business earn additional premium savings of 5% of your annual premium, up to a maximum of $25,000.  Both private and public employers who are NOT enrolled in Group Rating or Group Retro can participate in the RME. The policyholder must complete the existing requirements of BWC’s Safety Council Program (attending at least 10 of 12 meetings during the policy year), plus an additional six hours of safety and claims management education provided by the program sponsor. Spooner plans on sponsoring this pilot program so we can offer another option to our clients who don’t qualify for group savings programs. The training must be conducted in-person or virtually in real-time. Other training sessions, like pre-recorded webinars or videos, will not qualify for program credit. In addition, your policy must be in good standing – no lapses over 40 days, current on premium payments, and the most recent True Up completed (and any associated balance paid). Employers will enroll in RME via their third-party administrator, who then submit the applications to BWC by the last business day in May. If you’re a Spooner Inc. client, we’ll notify you if this program could be beneficial for your company in the upcoming 2025 policy year. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to your Client Serv

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Posted By Brandy King
April 23, 2025 Category: Mco, Ohio Bwc, Mco Open Enrollment, Managed Care Organization, 2025 Open Enrollment

MCO Open Enrollment will take place Monday, April 28 Friday, May 23, 2025. The opportunity for employers to choose their managed care organization (MCO) for Ohio Workers’ Comp comes only every two years, so employers will not have the opportunity again until 2027. Don’t miss out if you want to make a change! We know May is “busy season” for several industries with the weather warming up, but if you’re anything less than pleased with your MCO – it’s worth making time to take a few meetings and consider your options. With all of the mergers and acquisitions in the Ohio MCO marketplace over the last several years, there are now only nine companies to choose from. Since MCOs aren’t paid directly by employers, there are often low expectations set because no “value” is assigned. It’s true that MCOs are paid by Ohio BWC, but they are paid with a portion of employer premium dollars. Mismanaged claims can also cost you in the long run when those costs enter the experience and impact your premiums.  If you want to stay with your current MCO, there is nothing you need to do. We suggest being very cautious of what you sign or agree to during this time period, as some sales tactics can be misleading. You can view BWC’s 2025 MCO Report Card here, and learn more about how to interpret the results

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Posted By Brandy King
February 19, 2025 Category: Ohio Bwc, Ohio Safety Congress, Self Insured Assessment, Dfsp, Drug Free Safety Program, Cirp, Claim Impact Reduction, One Claim Program

Employers participating in Ohio BWC’s Drug-Free Safety Program (Basic or Advanced) or a Comparable Program will need to submit their required reports by March 31. The report and instructions for Basic and Advanced participants can be found online here, and the report and instructions for Comparable-Level participants can be found online here. Your report also serves as an application for the next program year. If you have additional questions or concerns about this reporting, or need a resource for training, please reach out to your Client Services Manager at Spooner Inc., or email clientservices@spoonerinc.net.  If your policy is enrolled in the Claim Impact Reduction Program (CIRP, formerly known as the One Claim Program), you will need to complete the required training by March 31. A representative from your company must attend a half day class or three hour online class offered by BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene. This PDF has additional details about CIRP that first-year participants may find helpful.  For self-insured employers, annual self-insured assessments are due February 28th.  Ohio Safety Congress registration recently opened as well. This three day educational event is free to attend for employers with an active Ohio BWC policy. The Expo Marketplace will be open Wednesday and Thursday, and we encourage you to come visit us in booth 129! You can register for Ohio Safety Congress

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