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Oklahoma comp commission seeks more funding for current, next fiscal years

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Oklahoma comp commission seeks more funding for current, next fiscal years

The Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission has approved requests for additional funding in the current fiscal year and a budget of nearly $7 million for fiscal year 2016, the commission confirmed Tuesday.

Beginning this fiscal year in July with a total budget of $4.5 million, the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission on Friday approved a request seeking an extra $721,291, Rick Farmer, executive director of the commission, wrote in an email.

Mr. Farmer added that $521,291 would go toward additional staff and operational costs, while the remaining $200,000 would be used for the impending electronic data interchange system, which will provide data concerning the state workers comp system and the delivery of benefits to injured workers.

The commission is also requesting a total budget of $6.9 million for fiscal year 2016, Mr. Farmer wrote, adding that the budget will be used for operations, staff and special projects.

An Oklahoma law that took effect Feb. 1 permits employers with at least 100 workers and $1 million in net assets, among other conditions and with certain exceptions, to apply to become a “qualified employer” that either self-insures or buys private workers compensation insurance.

The law also established the Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Commission and moved the state from a court-based adjudication system to an administrative process. Despite comparisons with the Texas nonsubscription system, Oklahoma's new system more closely resembles traditional workers comp, as employers retain their exclusive remedy legal protections.

“Our case load is rapidly building,” Mr. Farmer wrote, noting that the number of claims filed with the Workers’ Compensation Commission in September exceeded the number filed in the Court of Existing Claims. “We must plan for the future case load.”

“As with any new agency, it is hard to determine exactly what funds are needed to begin, and although very thrifty it seems that we were a bit short in budget allocation,” Deputy Commissioner Denise Engle wrote in an email. “Gov. (Mary) Fallin and the Oklahoma legislature have shown great leadership for workers compensation reform, and I anticipate will support the additional funding requested.”

“The (Workers’ Compensation) Commission is off to a strong and positive start, which should continue to bring improvements in Oklahoma’s claim resolutions,” Ms. Engle continued. “I am hopeful that electronic data interchange will be implemented in the next fiscal cycle as it will bring long term cost savings while making the new agency more business and industry friendly.”

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