Glenn Hansen

MultiCare Health System
President, WSIA

Last month, I wrote about the Department rate increase proposal, up 7.6% for State Fund Employers.  The Supplemental Pension Fund (SPF) assessment charged to the Self Insurance community went up 16% to .097 per productive hour worked.  At the WSIA Fall Conference, I challenged employers to do some math.  First, add up all of the claims costs paid in the calendar year.  Then multiply .097 by your productive hours.  Add the two figures together and then compare the cost of the SPF with your total budget.  In many cases, the supplemental pension fund is 20% or greater of your budget.  Does that strike you as the best use of your budget dollars?   If so, then pay attention to the communications this fall about reforms in the system.

SIEDRS reports are coming soon.  Be prepared to compare your figures with those of the aggregate community.  How soon do you pay initial time loss?  How much do your claims cost?  What types of injuries do you see?  Many factors impact costs and timing in claims.  One you might not think about is reporting.  National best practices for claim reporting is 3 days from the date of injury.  Do you measure that?  If not, consider adding that to your measurements as well.  At some point, SIEDRS will likely be used to target employers for audit.  Are you ready?

Have you met or spoken with AnnaLisa Gellerman?  If not, she is the new head of the Self-Insurance Section and it is a good opportunity to get to know her and learn how we might partner better with the Department on our issues.

Want to save a tree?  A task group at the Department is reviewing wage calculations and variances between the Self-Insurance expectations and the State Fund.  They are finalizing their work product and promise to have the results communicated to our community in the next couple months.  We seek fairness, clarity, and consistency in calculating wages and reducing the administrative burden involved with that process.

How can you help?  Be a voice for our community.  If you want meaningful reform, get out there and talk to your legislators.  Attend Legislative Committee meetings to hear and support our agenda.

As President this year, I want to hear your thoughts and concerns.  What are we doing right?  What could improve?  Please don’t hesitate to contact me at glenn.hansen@multicare.org <mailto:glenn.hansen@multicare.org> to let me know your thoughts.

Updated 2 October 2009

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