PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE State Administrative Procedure Act, NOTICE is hereby given of the following action:

Addition of Subpart 151-6 (Regulation No. 119) to Title 11 NYCRR.

Preservation of general welfare.

Workers' Compensation Law sections 15(8)(h)(4), 25-A(3), and 151(2)(b) require the Workers' Compensation Board ("WCB") to assess insurers and the State Insurance Fund, for the Special Disability Fund, the Fund for Reopened Cases, and the operations of the Workers' WCB, respectively. The assessments are allocated to insurers, self-insurers, group self-insurers, and the State Insurance Fund based upon the total compensation payments made by all such entities. In the case of an insurer, once the assessment amount is determined, the insurer pays the percentage of the allocation based on the total premiums it wrote during the preceding calendar year.

Prior to January 1, 2010, the Workers' Compensation Law required the Workers' Compensation Board to assess insurers on the total "direct premiums" they wrote in the preceding calendar year, whereas the insurers were collecting the assessments from their insureds on the basis of "standard premium," which took into account high deductible policies. As high deductible policies increased in the marketplace, a discrepancy developed between the assessment an insurer collected, and the assessment the insured was required to remit to the Workers' Compensation Board.

Part QQ of Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2009 ("Part QQ") amended Workers' Compensation Law sections 15(8)(h)(4) and 151(2)(b) to change the basis upon which the WCB collects the portion of the allocation from each insurer from "direct premiums" to "standard premium" in order to ensure that insurers are not overcharged or under-charged for the assessment, and to ensure that insureds with high deductible policies are charged the appropriate assessment. Effective January 1, 2010, therefore, each insurer pays a percentage of the allocation based on the total standard premium it wrote during the preceding calendar year. Part QQ requires the Superintendent of Insurance to define "standard premium," for the purposes of setting the assessments, and to set rules, in consultation with the WCB, and New York Compensation Rating Board, for collecting the assessment from insureds.

This regulation was previously promulgated on an emergency basis on December 29, 2009. The proposal was sent to the Governor's Office of Regulatory Reform on January 14, 2010 and the Department is awaiting approval to publish the regulation, however because the effective date of the relevant provision of the law is January 1, 2010, and the need that the assessments be calculated and collected in a timely manner, it is essential that this regulation, which establishes procedures that implement provisions of the law, be continued on an emergency basis.

For the reasons cited above, this regulation is being promulgated on an emergency basis for the benefit of the general welfare.

Workers' Compensation Insurance Assessments.

This regulation is necessary to standardize the basis upon which the the workers' compensation assessments are calculated.

A new sub-part 151-6 entitled Workers’ Compensation Insurance Assessments is added to read as follows:

to serve only as a notice of emergency adoption. This agency intends to adopt this emergency rule as a permanent rule and will publish a notice of proposed rule making in the State Register at some future date. The emergency rule will expire June 22, 2010.

Andrew Mais, New York State Insurance Department, 25 Beaver Street, New York, NY 10004, (212) 480-2285, email: [email protected]

1. Statutory authority: The Superintendent of Insurance's authority for the promulgation of Part 151-6 of Title 11 of the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules and Regulations of the State of New York (Fifth Amendment to Regulation No. 119) derives from Sections 201 and 301 of the Insurance Law, and Sections 15, 25-A. and 151 of the Workers' Compensation Law.

Sections 201 and 301 of the Insurance Law authorize the Superintendent to effectuate any power accorded to him by the Insurance Law, and to prescribe regulations interpreting the Insurance Law.

Sections 15, 25-A, and 151 of the Workers' Compensation Law, as amended by Part QQ of Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2009 require the Superintendent to define the "standard premium" upon which assessments are made for the Special Disability Fund, the Fund for Reopened Cases, and the operations of the Workers' Compensation Board ("WCB"). Section 15 of the Workers' Compensation Law further requires workers' compensation insurers to collect the assessments from their policyholders through a surcharge based on premiums in accordance with the rules set forth by the Superintendent, in consultation with the New York Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Board ("NYCIRB"), and the chair of the WCB.

2. Legislative objectives: (a) Workers' Compensation Law sections 15(8)(h)(4), 25-A(3), and 151(2)(b) require the WCB to assess insurers writing workers' compensation insurance and the State Insurance Fund, for the Special Disability Fund, the Fund for Reopened Cases, and the operations of the WCB, respectively. The assessments are allocated to insurers, self-insurers, group self-insurers, and the State Insurance Fund based upon the total compensation payments made by all such entities. In the case of an insurer, once the assessment amount is determined, the insurer pays the percentage of the allocation based on the total premiums it wrote during the preceding calendar year.

Prior to January 1, 2010, the Workers' Compensation Law required the WCB to assess insurers on the total "direct premiums" they wrote in the preceding calendar year, whereas the insurers were collecting the assessments from their insureds on the basis of "standard premium," which took into account high deductible policies. As high deductible policies increased in the marketplace, a discrepancy developed between the assessment an insurer collected, and the assessment the insured was required to remit to the WCB.

Therefore, Part QQ of Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2009 ("Part QQ") amended Workers' Compensation Law sections 15(8)(h)(4) and 151(2)(b) to change the basis upon which the board collects the portion of the allocation from each insurer from "direct premiums" to "standard premium" in order to ensure that insurers are not overcharged or under-charged for the assessment, and to ensure that insureds with high deductible policies are charged the appropriate assessment. Thus, effective January 1, 2010, each insurer pays a percentage of the allocation based on the total standard premium it wrote during the preceding calendar year. Part QQ requires the Superintendent to define "standard premium," for the purposes of the assessments, and to set rules, in consultation with the WCB, and NYCIRB for collecting the assessment from insureds.

3. Needs and benefits: This amendment is necessary, and mandated by the Workers' Compensation Law, in order to standardize the basis upon which the workers' compensation assessments are calculated to eliminate discrepancy between the amount that an insurer collects from employers, and the amount that an insurer remits to the WCB.

The discrepancy in the assessment calculation and remittance became evident as a result of the proliferation of large deductible policies. In many instances, the "direct premium" paid on a large deductible policy is less what the "standard premium" would be for that policy. Insurers that offered high-deductible policies were collecting for assessments using the "standard premium," but the Workers' Compensation Law was requiring the WCB to use "direct premiums" to bill insurers. Thus, in some instances, workers' compensation insurers were collecting from employers more money than they were remitting to the WCB.

4. Costs: This amendment standardizes the basis upon which the workers' compensation assessments are calculated in order to ensure that there is no discrepancy between the amount that an insurer collects from employers, and the amount that an insurer remits to the WCB. Although the amendment itself does not impose new costs, the impact of changing the basis for workers' compensation assessments may increase costs for some insurers, but reduce costs for others. Taken together, the amendment aims to level the playing field for insurers that offer large deductible policies and those that do not.

5. Local government mandates: The amendment does not impose any program, service, duty or responsibility upon a city, town or village, or school or fire district.

6. Paperwork: This amendment requires no new paperwork. Insurers and the State Insurance Fund already collect and remit assessments to the WCB. This regulation only standardizes the basis upon which the assessments are calculated, as required by the Workers' Compensation Law.

7. Duplication: The amendment will not duplicate any existing state or federal rule.

8. Alternatives: No alternatives were considered, because Part QQ requires the Superintendent to define "standard premium," for the purposes of the assessments, and to set rules, in consultation with the WCB and NYCIRB, for collecting the assessment from insureds. Based on discussions with NYCIRB and the WCB, the Superintendent determined that the term "standard premium" should conform to the definition currently used by insurers, and should ensure that the definition accounts for high deductible policies.

NYCIRB has been collecting premium data on a "standard" basis since its inception nearly 100 years ago. The "standard premium" is the premium without regard to credits, deviations, or deductibles. As new credits and types of policies (such as large deductible policies) develop, NYCIRB adjusts the definition to account for the changes. The Insurance Department is merely adopting NYCIRB's current definition.

9. Federal standards: There are no applicable federal standards.

10. Compliance schedule: The effective date of the relevant provision of the law is January 1, 2010. The assessments must be calculated and collected as of January 1, 2010.

1. Small businesses:

The Insurance Department finds that this rule will not impose any adverse economic impact on small businesses and will not impose any reporting, recordkeeping or other compliance requirements on small businesses.

This amendment applies to all workers' compensation insurers authorized to do business in New York State, as well as to the State Insurance Fund (SIF). It standardizes the basis upon which the workers' compensation assessments are calculated in order to ensure that there is no discrepancy between the amount that an insurer collects from employers, and the amount that an insurer remits to the Workers' Compensation Board.

The basis for this finding is that this rule is directed at workers' compensation insurers authorized to do business in New York State, none of which falls within the definition of "small business" as found in section 102(8) of the State Administrative Procedure Act. The Insurance Department has monitored Annual Statements and Reports on Examination of authorized workers' compensation insurers subject to this rule, and believes that none of the insurers falls within the definition of "small business", because there are none that are both independently owned and have fewer than one hundred employees. Nor does SIF come within the definition of "small business" found in section 102(8) of the State Administrative Procedure Act, because SIF is neither independently owned nor operated, nor does it employ one hundred or less individuals.

2. Local governments:

The amendment does not impose any impacts, including any adverse impacts, or reporting, recordkeeping, or other compliance requirements on any local governments. This amendment does not affect self-insured local governments, because it applies only to insurers.

1. Types and estimated numbers of rural areas: This amendment applies to all workers' compensation insurers authorized to do business in New York State, as well as to the State Insurance Fund (the "SIF"). These entities do business throughout New York State, including rural areas as defined under section 102(10) of the State Administrative Procedure Act ("SAPA").

2. Reporting, recordkeeping and other compliance requirements, and professional services: This regulation is not expected to impose any reporting, recordkeeping or other compliance requirements on public or private entities in rural areas. Insurers and SIF already collect and remit assessments to the Workers' Compensation Board ("WCB"). This amendment simply standardizes the basis upon which the assessments are calculated.

3. Costs: This amendment standardizes the basis upon which the workers' compensation assessments are calculated in order to ensure that there is no discrepancy between the amount that an insurer collects from employers, and the amount that an insurer remits to the WCB. Although the amendment itself does not impose new costs, the impact of changing the basis for workers' compensation assessments may increase costs for some insurers, but reduce costs for others. Taken together, the amendment aims to level the playing field for insurers that offer large deductible policies and those that do not.

4. Minimizing adverse impact: The amendment does not impose any impact unique to rural areas.

5. Rural area participation: This amendment is required by statute. The entities covered by this amendment - workers' compensation insurers authorized to do business in New York State and the State Insurance Fund - do business in every county in this state, including rural areas as defined under section 102(10) of SAPA. This amendment standardizes the basis upon which the workers' compensation assessments are calculated.

This rule will not adversely impact job or employment opportunities in New York. The rule merely standardizes the basis upon which workers’ compensation assessments are calculated in order to ensure that there is no discrepancy between the amount that an insurer collects from employers, and the amount that an insurer remits to the Workers’ Compensation Board. The insurer’s existing personnel should be able to perform this task. There should be no region in New York which would experience an adverse impact on jobs and employment opportunities. This rule should not have a measurable impact on self-employment opportunities.