The Connection Magazine AIM MUTUAL Fall 2021 | Page 29

GOING FORWARD , NCCI PROPOSED A CHANGE TO THE DEFINITION OF THE CATASTROPHE PROVISION , BROADENING THE SCOPE TO INCLUDE ANY LOSSES OF MORE THAN $ 50 MILLION .

Ratemaking is prospective , meaning that rate makers look to the future to anticipate losses and payroll during the ratemaking period when those rates would be in effect . The upcoming rate filing season ranges from November 2021 to August 2022 . Going forward , NCCI proposed a change to the definition of the catastrophe provision , broadening the scope to include any losses of more than $ 50 million . Previously , this provision only covered single-event losses in excess of $ 50 million caused by “ earthquakes , noncertified acts of terrorism , or catastrophic industrial accidents .” This change acknowledges that there are additional , potentially unknown categories of catastrophic exposure that should be considered . WORKERS ’ COMPENSATION COVERAGE FOR PROPHYLACTIC TREATMENTS
A bill in New Hampshire — H . B . 589 — would require workers ’ compensation coverage for public safety and healthcare workers who need prophylactic treatment in response to contact with bodily fluids such as saliva and blood . If approved , this would expand the legal definition of “ critical exposure ” in New Hampshire ’ s workers ’ compensation law . TELEHEALTH SERVICES
According to the Workers ’ Compensation Research Institute , currently , almost every state allows payment for telehealth services in workers ’ compensation cases . All the New England states have a statute addressing telehealth .
Many states expanded access for injured workers to telehealth services because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated medical office closures due to the lockdown in 2020 . What once felt futuristic — happening only on “ The Jetsons ” — has now become a universally accepted way to receive medical care .
For both injured workers and workers ’ compensation carriers , this has been a game changer . Telehealth has proven to improve the speed of connecting a patient with a medical provider as well as reduce the amount of money spent on medical care . Here at A . I . M . Mutual , we have seen success with this additional way for injured workers to get the care they need . While telehealth is not a replacement for inperson medical evaluations , it is certainly a viable alternative for injured workers who are unable to be seen in person or who prefer to augment their medical treatment with telehealth . WORKERS ’ COMPENSATION FOR WORKPLACE-RELATED MENTAL INJURIES
According to NCCI , nine states — including Connecticut , Maine , and New Hampshire — enacted legislation addressing workers ’ compensation coverage for workplace-related mental injuries in 2021 . Connecticut was particularly active in this realm and proposed numerous bills .
SB 660 was passed in Connecticut which expands benefits for certain mental or emotional impairments — including PTSD — for healthcare workers who suffered injuries related to the treatment of patients with COVID-19 .
Maine enacted LD 467 which allows emergency dispatchers and corrections officers diagnosed with PTSD to receive workers ’ compensation benefits . In New Hampshire , a bill was enacted to reestablish a commission to study posttraumatic stress in first responders and the implications for potential workers ’ compensation coverage . This will remain a hot topic for 2022 as our nation and our industry come to terms with how to address mental health-related injuries in workers .
JODI WILLIAMS
JODI WILLIAMS , is Compliance Manager for A . I . M . Mutual Insurance Companies . Previously , she was A . I . M . Mutual ’ s Residual Market Underwriting Specialist . She has a background in risk management , compliance , and data analysis . She also served on the Board of Directors for a Massachusetts-based workers ’ compensation self-insured group .
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