State Update

Alabama — August 1, 2007 deadline extended to January 2, 2008

The Alabama Workers Compensation Division (AWCD) has extended its August 1, 2007 deadline for insurers to begin sending FROI claims using EDI. The new deadline is January 2, 2008. AWCD will continue accepting FROI by e-mail or fax until then. SROI claims will still be required on paper. AWCD advises that trading partners should ensure their SROI documents are sent after AWCD has received their electronic FROI record and a transaction accepted acknowledgement record has been returned. For more information, visit http://dir.alabama.gov/wc/edi/edipg2.aspx.

Georgia — Pilot testing to begin in fourth-quarter 2007
The Georgia State Board of Workers Compensation will begin its Release 3 EDI pilot test this fall and will be accepting applications until September 14, 2007. Upon completion of the eighteen-month test, the Board will no longer accept paper submissions of WC-1s, WC-2s, WC-3s, or WC-4s. Electronic filing for all insurers and self insurers will be mandatory by second-quarter 2009. For more information, visit www.sbwc.georgia.gov or link to:

• The Chairman's Announcement Letter (July 12, 2007)
• Draft Release 3 Filing Specifications

Florida — Phasing in Release 3 beginning November 2007
The state of Florida’s Division of Workers Compensation will be phasing in Release 3 beginning in November 2007. To help insurers prepare for the changes, the division is offering a free two-day training course on EDI Release 3 for claims administrators this month. For more information, see related article.

Other states:

• Maine and New Hampshire — have already mandated the Release 3 reporting standard
• West Virginia — currently using Release 3 in an exclusive market but will expand the requirement in 2008, when it moves to an open market
• Minnesota— receiving Release 3 transactions on a voluntary basis
• Alaska — currently testing Release 3 for both FROI and SROI

Within the next two years, a number of states, such as Maryland, South Carolina, Michigan, and Iowa, may also be adopting Release 3.
For the latest status, see Map of EDI Mandates by State