NYS Workers’ Comp has seen a lot of hardship in the last few years. According to independent research, the NYS Workers’ Comp system is not only slow to pay injured workers, but produces poor medical outcomes. This means injured workers have bigger issues receiving the benefits they are guaranteed and employers see higher costs. NY Workers’ Comp costs to employers are the fifth highest in the country.

 Under Governor Cuomo’s administration, NYS Workers’ Comp is moving in the right direction. The NYS Workers’ Comp Board is improving the system little by little with important changes:

-The minimum benefit has increased from $100 to $150.

-The Business Relief Act was signed in 2013, which included $800 million in assessment savings for 2014 (dropping from 18.% to 13.4% of premium).

-Electronic reporting or “eClaims” is being implemented, which is transforming

the reporting process of injuries and payments.

-A study is underway at the NYS Workers’ Comp Board aimed at changing the processes and assessing how to use technology to better serve employees and employers.

-Public outreach is being used to gain information and ideas from injured workers, businesses, public employers, organized labor, healthcare providers, insurance carriers, attorneys and other industry professionals.

-Injured workers in particular are being given the attention they need with the use of an injured worker focus group, labor groups, injured worker days at the NYS Workers’ Comp Board, and an injured worker survey (which, according to the Board, has already received over 6,000 responses).

The outreach schedule and comments received can be accessed on the NYS Workers’ Comp Board website. After the study concludes, the NYS Workers’ Comp Board will post final recommendations and an implementation road map. The NYS Workers’ Comp Board is committed to improving the system by identifying and fixing problems.

Contact Enforce Coverage Group today for a competitive quote and to learn more about NYS Workers’ Comp.