Bill would allow deviation from comp rates for firefighter cancers

The Arizona Senate is considering legislation that would allow insurers covering firefighter cancers under the state’s rebuttable presumption law to deviate from statewide filed workers compensation rates. 

S.B. 1451, introduced Wednesday, would allow insurers providing presumptive coverage on workers compensation claims filed by firefighters for occupational illnesses to file one uniform percentage division for the class codes associated with those workers to address the anticipated increase in losses and expenses for those claims. However, insurers that choose to take advantage of the deviation must provide supporting documentation including data related to workers compensation indemnity and medical claims and administrative expenses associated with presumptive coverage.

The legislation also states that deviations filed will be subject to a 30-day waiting period before becoming effective.

The bill has been assigned to the Senate’s rules committee.