Big Changes Coming to Ohio BWC

The Ohio Legislature took the final steps this week to modernize the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, specifically the revision of its billing system. Both the Senate and the House finalized changes that would shift the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation from a retrospective billing system to a prospective system. Prospective billing is a common industry standard and common sense move that has many advantages, including a reduction in rates of two percent for private employers and four percent for public employers, more flexible payment options and better overall employer compliance. Furthermore, with the new billing system, employers will not be double-billed during the shift. Overall, this measure makes positive changes for the business community as well as injured workers.  The legislation, HB 493, awaits the Governor’s signature before implementation, although the changes within the BWC won’t take effect until 2015. MIRA wholeheartedly supported these changes.