BWC’s move to prospective billing: important dates

UPDATE: The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation has indicated that estimated premium notices will be mailed to all private employers in June 2015.

In May 2015, the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) will be mailing all private employers an estimated premium notice along with a certificate of coverage. However, this certificate of coverage does not guarantee coverage. Instead, due to the BWC’s move to prospective billing, the employer must pay its premium in a timely manner to officially obtain coverage.

If the premiums are timely paid, in June 2015, the BWC will pay private employers’ premiums for the January 1, 2015, to June 30, 2015, policy period (normally due in August). In addition, the BWC will pay the employer’s premium due for the first two months (July and August 2015) of the first prospective billing policy period. This transition credit means a private employer will not make a prospective premium installment payment until August 31, 2015.

In the first year of the change to prospective billing, all employers will be on a bimonthly installment payment plan. This means employers will pay a portion of their annual premium to BWC six times a year. Employers will have the option of selecting other flexible installment plans for future years.

At the end of each policy year, the BWC will send all employers a notice to true-up. This true-up will require employers to report their actual payroll online at www.bwc.ohio.gov. The BWC will automatically adjust an employer's account based on what they have already paid for that policy period.