PRINTER'S NO. 2920
No. 239 Session of 1992
INTRODUCED BY GLADECK, BIRMELIN, LEH, CHADWICK, GODSHALL AND
HAGARTY, JANUARY 7, 1992
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, JANUARY 7, 1992
A RESOLUTION
1 Urging the Insurance Commissioner to delay the recent workers'
2 compensation rate increase request pending legislative
3 consideration of the workers' compensation program.
4 WHEREAS, The Workers' Compensation Rating Bureau has filed a
5 rate request with the Insurance Commissioner on September 19,
6 1991; and
7 WHEREAS, That rate request included a proposed 51.8% increase
8 in the manual rate of workers' compensation insurance; and
9 WHEREAS, This increase is the greatest proposed increase in
10 recent memory; and
11 WHEREAS, The recent workers' compensation rate increase
12 request, if approved, in whole or substantially in part, will be
13 unbearably detrimental to the economy and, hence, to the
14 employers and employees of this Commonwealth; and
15 WHEREAS, The proposed 51.8% increase is the result of such
16 factors as the increasing cost of medical treatment, the
17 increasing cost of nonmedical benefits and the increasing
18 incidence and longevity of claims; and
1 WHEREAS, Workers' compensation costs can be reduced through
2 the enactment of legislation that is directed at the elimination
3 of fraud; and
4 WHEREAS, Workers' compensation costs can be reduced through
5 legislation which is directed at the appropriate restructuring
6 of benefits within limitations that assure adequate and
7 reasonable benefits to those individuals who are truly disabled
8 as a result of an injury attributable to their employment; and
9 WHEREAS, Reform of the workers' compensation program must
10 necessarily include the professionalization of referees,
11 including a requirement for reasoned decisions explicitly
12 stated, in order to assure basic fairness, impartial justice and
13 due process for all parties; and
14 WHEREAS, Reform of the workers' compensation program and the
15 reduction of unbearable and unnecessary costs can be
16 accomplished only through legislative enactment of fair and
17 reasonable statutory changes to the Pennsylvania workmen's
18 compensation program; therefore be it
19 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives call upon the
20 Insurance Commissioner to delay any decision on the proposed
21 rate increase of September 19, 1991, until full consideration of
22 workers' compensation amendatory legislation by the House of
23 Representatives, the Senate and the Governor; and be it further
24 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
25 the Insurance Commissioner.
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