All PComp members once again received dividend checks - mailed in August - as the PComp Board of Directors declared a $2.5 million dividend for 2018! The board also approved continuing the Safety Improvement Program grants at a maximum of $20,000 per member for 2019.

 

This is the sixth year in a row for a dividend!

Year	Dividend	SIP Grants
2018	$2,500,000	$825,534
2017	$2,500,000	$635,683
2016	$2,500,000	$449,702
2015	$2,000,000	$404,992
2014	$1,600,000
2013	$1,372,670
Subtotal	$12,472,670	$2,315,911

That is a total of $14,788,581 returned to the members over the last six years! If PComp members would have been insured by a commercial workers' compensation carrier, this would have been profit, and no one would have received money back. Just another great benefit of belonging to a public entity risk pool!All PComp members received a dividend. Amounts ranged from $150 to $226,115. The average dividend was a little over $53,100. The dividend was authorized by the PComp Board at their June 2018 meeting, based on the strong financial position of the pool. The dividend distribution was approved by Labor & Industry's Bureau of Workers' Compensation, Division of Self Insurance.

Safety Improvement Program (SIP) Grants

The PComp Board continued funding for the PComp SIP grant program in 2019. The calculation process started in 2018 will continue - a member cannot receive more than 75 percent of their annual premium in grant funds - members with an annual PComp premium less than $20,000 can only receive grant amounts up to 75 percent of their premium.

 

Questions about the dividend calculations, SIP grants or anything about PComp, should be directed to John Sallade at (800) 895-9039 x 3309.

It's that time of year again (hurray!?!?). Many members ask for projections for insurance costs for the upcoming year, and here are my thoughts for 2019.

 

Health Alliance - our partners at the Delaware Valley Health Trust note that as we look ahead to 2019, health benefit costs will continue to increase at rates faster than the general inflation rate. The overall medical trend is projected at six to eight percent and pharmacy costs at ten to 12 percent.

 

These are national trend projections and your county's or insured group's actual premium increase is driven by a variety of factors in addition to the overall trend used by the health insurance underwriter. The factors include: group size and demographics, group-specific utilization, carrier-specific underwriting methodology, expenses as a percentage of premium, and other regional or market-specific factors.

 

CCAP UC Trust - the board meets in October to make a decision on rates. The members' experience has been good. I'd suggest you budget for a flat renewal, noting that your overall costs might go up if your payroll increases.

 

PCoRP - CCAP's largest public entity risk pool is seeing a higher than average cost of losses at this point, but since the renewal is June 1, 2019 there is a lot of time left. To be safe I would suggest budgeting a four percent increase, especially if you have had any large claims, any new buildings or large increases in payroll.

 

PComp - workers' compensation remains a very high claims generator, and our hope is to renew at year end with little or no increase in rates, but it is hard to tell until the actuary's report comes in. For now I would suggest a two percent increase to be safe, and check back with me in November to see what the board submitted to the state for a rate request for January 1, 2019.

 

PELICAN - nursing home liability claims cost continue to trend upwards, which means rates for 2018 might also go up. PELICAN's members renew March 1, 2019 and at this point I would suggest budgeting for a five percent increase.

 

COMCARE PRO - the members of this program have renewals throughout the year, and each member's rate is very much based on claims experience. Overall, claims experience has been very costly the last couple of years, and rates are being adjusted as needed. So if your county has had higher claims costs, budget for an increase.

 

In closing, here's a handy-dandy cheat sheet to explain each of our insurance programs:

 

COMCARE PRO - a Vermont based insurance company started by COMCARE to provide state required HealthChoices stop loss insurance for inpatient MH and DA care.

 

DVHT - Delaware Valley Health Trust, the pool sponsored by the CCAP Health Alliance for health insurance.

 

CCAP Health Alliance - health insurance and other employee benefit insurances.

 

PELICAN - a Vermont based insurance company started by PACAH and CCAP with a state grant, insures county owned, non-profit and select for-profit nursing homes for general and professional (malpractice) liability, in PA and in Maryland.

 

PCoRP - property, liability, auto, crime and cyber liability insurance pool.

 

PComp - workers' compensation insurance pool, regulated by PA.

 

UC Trust - unemployment compensation insurance.

As counties get ready for the general election, we've received a few questions about coverage and risk management related to election sites. So here are some things to consider for this November.

 

What happens if an election worker or volunteer falls, or in some other manner hurts themselves while working at the polls?

These individuals are not county employees, and they would not be covered for workers' compensation. Some workers' compensation insurance companies insure volunteers (for an additional fee), many, including PComp, do not. So check your coverage. Additionally, CCAP has an endorsed Volunteers Insurance program which provides up to $25,000 of medical coverage for injured county volunteers.

 

If an election worker or volunteer is injured, what should the county tell them about where they can go to be seen for the injury?

Since they are not covered by your workers' compensation coverage the county cannot mandate that they go to one of the providers on your providers panel. You certainly should be ready to assist them and/or provide a recommendation - when in doubt the closest ER or Urgent Care. And you might want to have a copy of the county's provider panel at each polling place in case the injured person is looking for a recommendation.

 

Since injuries to these workers and volunteers do not fall under workers' compensation, what would it fall under and who is responsible?

The individual's health insurance is going to be the primary coverage for their injury. If the person feels the county is somehow responsible for their injury, they could sue the county, then it could become a liability claim covered by PCoRP or the insurer from which the county receives liability coverage. It could also be a claim against the owner of the polling place facility. Many counties take the position that they will, in cases like this, pay any deductible the person has, but the county does not admit liability.

 

Should we have an agreement with the polling place we are leasing or using?

Yes! Whether you are paying to use the space, or the owner has agreed to let the county use it for free, an agreement is essential, especially if someone gets hurt. It does not have to be a huge complicated document, but it should indemnify the county if someone is injured on or by the owner's property. There should also be an explanation of "who does what" regarding electric and space provided by the owner, parking, handicap access, signs, postings, etc. so everyone knows what they are responsible for. The county is going to have its employees present in this facility - even if it is only to deliver and set up the voting machines - and you want to make sure it is a safe place and the contract indemnifies the county in case one of your employees gets hurt by something relating to a defect in the property. And of course you also should be certain that the owner has liability insurance in place and in an adequate amount to cover costs to reimburse the county or an injured voter.

 

If a voter would fall at the polling place on Election Day who is responsible?

It depends on a number of things:

• If the person alleges they were hurt because something the county did, they may sue the county. How this is handled will eventually depend on the language in your contract with the voting site. The injury could be a result of an unsafe condition at the polling place, which could place some or all of the liability on the owner. This is another reason to have a contract and to make sure the owner has insurance coverage.
• If the county has agreed to indemnify the owner of the site, then the county's liability coverage (PCoRP, for example) would handle the claim. Report the potential claim to PCoRP or your insurance company.
• Important! Regardless of what is in the contract (and the people on-site won't know what is in it anyway) treat anything like this as a potential claim against the county. Help the voter to get to medical care or call 911. Take pictures of where this happened. Document what happened and who witnessed it. Report it to PCoRP or your insurance company as soon as possible.
• Let the owner of the polling place know what happened - they may need to report it to their insurance company. If the injury allegedly happened because of a defect in the property (for example a deteriorating sidewalk, or something fell off the building), the owner will need to repair it - certainly before the county uses the property again. So let the county elections staff know, and the county's chief clerk or risk manager - because if the county uses the site again, knowing there is a dangerous condition, this could result in additional liability to the county (and no one wants another person to be injured!).

 

If the election workers believe the county is responsible, how does the county election staff get the potential claim reported?

Each county has someone designated to report claims to PCoRP or their insurance carrier. This is usually the risk manager or chief clerk. PCoRP members should report the incident to PCoRP in the normal way through online claims reporting, through whoever is your claims contact.

If we are responsible, can we tell them who to see for the injury?

No - and it is probably best not to indicate you believe the county is responsible. Ultimately it is their choice where to go, but help them out as noted above.

 

For more information, contact Karen Cohen at CCAP.

It's as though we blinked and the summer of 2018 is coming to an end!

With the changing of the season comes a few added driving dangers. Children will be going back to school and those big yellow buses will begin to pop up everywhere. According to a study done by DPI on average 2,300 vehicles a day ignore the flashing lights and extended arms of those busses. If the danger to the children boarding and exiting those busses weren't enough to convince you to be aware of your surroundings, in Pennsylvania you could face a $250 fine, five points added to your license and a 60 day suspension of your license.

Soon the leaves will start to make their transition into their annual beautiful fall foliage, be cautious of motorists slowing down or pulling over to take in mother nature's work of art. Falling leaves brings other potential hazards, they can hide potholes or road markings and when you add rain or frost to the mix wet leaves can be just as slippery as ice.

As we hustle to finish the projects we set to complete this summer, wildlife is in full swing to prepare for the winter as well which will increase their presence on roadways.

Stay alert, be aware of your surroundings at all times so everyone can make it to their destination safely.