Welcome to the KING Website!
Welcome to the KING website! The website has been designed to provide useful information and tools for workers compensation / risk management in elder care organizations. Members of KING have access to a “Members Only” section that will require their user I.D. and password. Please take a moment to become familiar with the website. If you have any difficulties or have suggestions or questions, please give us a call. Thanks for visiting and please have a safe day!
What's New?
OSHA Update
The next KING OSHA Update webinar has been scheduled for January 19, 2012. Click Here to register.
New Workers Compensation Posting Requirement
All Kansas employers are required to post a notice in one or more conspicuous places highlighting the employee’s responsibilities, rights and benefits of workers compensation. In addition, all Kansas employers are required to provide injured employees a printed notice that outlines similar information contained in the poster. With the new workers compensation law taking effect May 15, 2011 the new poster (form K-WC 40) and injured employee notice (form K-WC 27) can be downloaded from the Kansas Department of Labor website. Click on workers compensation, forms & publications, employers & employees and select the appropriate forms. It is advisable to post the “old” form for injuries that occurred prior to May 15, 2011 for the next several months.
New KING Resources Available
New in the KING Online Resource Library is a Fall Protection Program. Please access the KING Online Resource Library by clicking on the Members Only section and login by using your password and user name. Please contact the LeadingAge office if you have questions.
Workers Compensation Reform Passes!
Substitute for House Bill 2134 found agreement by the Conference Committee on Friday, April 1. That afternoon, both the House and Senate voted unanimously to pass the bill and sent it to Governor Brownback for signature. When signed, the legislation will take effect on May 15, 2011.
The final bill did include some changes to the original version but all the primary reforms remain intact. Major reforms in the bill include:
1. Work disability calculation – The language in the bill will overturn the “Bergstrom” court ruling. Wage loss will be defined as the difference between the average weekly wage the worker was earning at the time of the injury and the average weekly wage the worker IS CAPABLE OF EARNING after the injury. An appropriate post-injury wage may be imputed to a worker who is not employed, based on his wage-earning capability. If an employee is working, the wage the worker is actually earning will be presumed to be the post-injury wage the worker is capable of earning.
2. Prevailing Factor Test--In order to be compensable, the work accident must be the prevailing factor relative to the injury or disability claimed. An accident will no longer be compensable just because it aggravates, accelerates or exacerbates a pre-existing condition. Rather, it will have to be the Prevailing--meaning primary--factor relative to injury and disability.
3. Future Medical--Instead of Future Medical being left open automatically as occurs now, the Claimant will have to prove it is more probable than not that future medical treatment will be necessary. Further, if future medical is awarded, and then there is a two year gap from the date of the Award or from the date of last treatment from an authorized provider, during which the claimant receives no medical treatment from an authorized provider, the Employer can seek a Hearing to permanently terminate future medical benefits.
4. Average Weekly Wage --The current calculation for Average Weekly Wage for Full Time Hourly Employees will change from the artificial standard that has allowed workers to multiply their hourly rate by 40, whether they work 40 hours or not. Under the new standard we will look at the 26 weeks of earnings, including bonuses and overtime, prior to date of accident for both full and part-time workers, and average the earnings.
5. Bilateral Parallel injuries will return to (pre-Casco court ruling) status as Body as a Whole Injuries.
6. New caps will be in place--Death Benefits $300,000. Permanent Total Benefits-- $155,000. Permanent Partial Benefits--$130,000. Functional Impairment-- $75,000.
View a sample of the KING Star Video here.
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About KING
KING is a group-funded workers compensation pool formed under Kansas statute 44-581. KING's formation began in the late 1980's in response to members' need when faced with shrinking insurance options and soaring worker compensation premiums.
KING is a non-profit 501 (c) 4 corporation that began offering workers compensation coverage to members on April 1, 1990. KING now insures between 65 and 70 LeadingAge Kansas members generating over $3 Million in premium annually. LeadingAge Kansas staff provides management services and oversight of the KING program.
KING Pays. Kansas statute allows group-funded workers compensation pools like KING to return unused premium in dividends to members that qualify. To date, KING members have received nearly $6 Million in dividends during the past 14 years. Annually, KING members that experience no claims or no indemnity claims are recognized during KAHSA's annual awards program.
KING's success is tied directly to loss control. KING provides members profesional loss prevention services tailor made to fit member needs. Services include in-service training, accident analysis and regional safety seminars.
KING members are leaders in safe working practices. Members who implement a "safe-lift" working environment receive a valuable premium discount. Over half of all KING members have a "safe-lift" designation.
KING Early Intervention program provides immediate nurse case management when necessary. This helps the injured employee receive the appropriate care as soon as possible and provides valuable communication to the member and claims adjuster. Each member's "return to work" program is analyzed and fortified so an injured worker can get back on the job quicker.
KING members submit reports of injury electronically to our claims administrator. An online menu of member specific reports is available as a tool to help analyze and proactively respond to incident trends. Additionally, all members receive a monthly loss ratio report for the entire pool for the past seven policy years.