To:  Insurance Carriers Providing Benefits under the Disability Benefit Law

Subject:  Revision of Proof of Coverage Submission Requirements for Disability Benefits Insurance

Date:  March 14, 2005

DISABILITY BENEFITS INSURANCE CONTRACT BULLETIN

In recent Insurance Contract Bulletins, the Workers' Compensation Board's Office of Disability Benefits communicated two methods for insurance carriers to electronically submit Proof of Coverage transactions to the Board: Electronic File Transfer and the web-based DB-820/829. As part of its continuing effort to improve and enhance its Employer Compliance functions, the Board is announcing the following important information:

Effective October 1, 2005, the Board will no longer accept paper DB-820/829 forms for statutory coverage. All transactions effecting or affecting a statutory Disability Benefits policy must be submitted to the Board via either FTP or the web.

Statutory coverage is a Disability Benefits policy that covers all employees eligible under the Disability Benefits Law, provides the same benefits in all respects as provided under Section 204 and requires employee contributions not in excess of those authorized under Section 209.

Since our automation efforts have not, as yet, addressed Plan or Plan Class coverage, paper DB-820/829 forms may still be filed for all non-statutory policies. Form DB-820.1, if necessary, must be submitted on paper.

Plans are policies that may cover all or only a class (or classes) of employees, provide benefits that differ from those provided under Section 204 and may require employee contributions that differ from those authorized under Section 209.

Acceptable Methods of Transmission

Effective October 1, 2005, carriers must submit DB-820/829 data to the Board for statutory policies using one of two methods:

• Electronic File Transfer – Carriers can register with the Board, at no cost, to send data through a secure file transfer process and receive reports of accepted and rejected transactions from the Board.
• Web-based Transactions – Carriers can use the Board's web-based application to electronically submit DB-820/829 data. The Board will acknowledge accepted and rejected transactions and there is no cost to the carrier for the use of the web-based process.

Electronic submissions offer enormous value and convenience over filing paper transactions. Here are a few of the advantages:

• Reduced mailing costs
• Improved timeliness of filings
• Immediate feedback
• Improved effectiveness of filings
• Ease of resubmission

Registration, instructions and guidelines for Electronic File Transfer and web-based transactions can be found under the "On-line Services/Proof of Coverage Submission DB" link on the Board's home web page (www.wcb.ny.gov).

If you have any comments or questions related to the Board's new policy regarding Disability Benefits proof of coverage submissions, please feel free to contact the Director of Disability Benefits, Mr. Nicholas T. Dogias, via email (nicholas.dogias@wcb.ny.gov) or telephone (518-474-6568). Technical inquiries may be addressed to dbpoc.support@wcb.ny.gov.

David P. Wehner
Chairman