Mission Statement: The County Office of Risk & Insurance seeks to reduce the County's total cost of risk. This goal is accomplished through a synthesis of risk evaluation, prevention and financing. The Office of Risk & Insurance Management administers three separate internal service funds:

• Risk Management
• Workers' Compensation
• Employee/Retiree Health Insurance

The current Risk and Insurance Manager is Robert E. Murphy; he has held the post since January of 2005.

Broome County has assumed liability for most casualty risks including, but not limited to, property damage, personal injury liability and Workers' Compensation. The County established Workers' Compensation pool in 1956 to pay Workers' Compensation claims and judgements. Any municipal corporation within Broome County may participate in the pool. Currently all but nine of the County's municipalities participate in the pool.

The Office of Risk & Insurance Management coordinates employee safety for all county employees. The county Safety Specialist is responsible for providing most county safety training and also provides guidance on all employee safety matters.

The County currently offers three health insurance options to its employees and retirees with 10 years of service. Two of the options are fully insured HMOs. The third option is a self-insured traditional indemnity style plan.

Risk Management

The primary function of the Office of Risk & Insurance is to reduce the County's total cost of risk. The County self insures most risks including, but not limited to, property damage and personal injury liability. The County purchases commercial insurance for its real property, most inland marine, boiler & machinery and employee theft and dishonesty exposures.

The Office of Risk & Insurance Management has a comprehensive vendor contract insurance specification (risk transfer) process.

The contract insurance specifications request process is initiated at the request of the department. The department submits a single one-sided form. From the information on this form the ORIM produces "contract insurance specifications" which become part of the vendor's contract with Broome County.

Workers' Compensation

Broome County pays Workers' Compensation benefits through a self-insured Workers' Compensation pool, established in 1956 to pay claims and judgements for Workers' Compensation. Any municipal corporation within Broome County may participate in the pool. Currently, all Broome municipalities except the Towns of Dickinson, Fenton, Kirkwood, Union & Vestal; the Villages of Deposit, Endicott, Johnson City & Windsor and the City of Binghamton participate in the pool. Pool contributions (premiums) are established by the Broome County Office of Risk & Insurance for all pool participants, including Broome County, in accordance with local law 8-1996. Local law 8-1996 calculates pool contribution by a weighted formula: 65% from five year paid claims average and 35% from assessed valuation. A third party administrator, RMSCO, Inc. of Liverpool, New York, processes and pays Workers' Compensation claims on behalf of the pool under the supervision of the Office of Risk & Insurance. Claims that do not incur indemnity payments are adjusted and paid directly by the county.

In August 2000, the Workers' Compensation injury reporting requirements were significantly streamlined, reducing duplication and time waste. The "injury packet" now consists of seven sequentially numbered single-sided forms. (Forms)

To all county & municipal Workers' Compensation claimants:

I am sorry to hear that you were hurt at work. Because of the physical and financial hardship that a work related injury can cause, my office works closely with you, your employer, and your physician towards a common goal of returning you to work as quickly as possible.

The first step in the process is to be sure that you have completed and returned the Broome County Workers' Compensation Injury Packet. This packet consists of seven forms. After you complete the forms, return them to the Office of Risk & Insurance Managagement as soon as possible.

For your information, here is a list of representatives to contact with any questions:

1. Colleen Capwell, Workers' Compensation Analyst, 607.778.2402
   For questions regarding medical treatment approvals or assistance with returning to work.
2. Debbie Comfort, Claims Adjuster, at RMSCO, Inc., 315.448.9111
   For questions regarding your claim status or the payment process.
3. John Nezelek, Safety Specialist, 607.778.2402
   If you believe your accident could have been prevented.

Very truly yours,

Robert E. Murphy
Broome County Risk & Insurance Manager

Employee/Retiree Health Insurance

The County currently offers four health insurance options to its employees and retirees. Two of the options are HMO plans administered by RMSCO. The third option is a traditional indemnity style plan administered by RMSCO with prescription card benefits administered by Medco. The fourth plan is for Medicare primary retirees. Effective October 1, 2008 Medicare Retirees have been moved to the Aetna Medicare Open Plan.

Retirees from Broome County are entitled to health insurance coverage, for a cost, if they have at least 10 years of full-time equivalent service, plus they participated with a county health plan for at least 2 of those 10 years. Coverage must be maintained continuously from the date of separation from service. The complete rules affecting retiree health insurance are available by clicking here (Rules).

Broome County offers its retirees and the surviving spouses of its retirees to reduce the cost of their health insurance if they have a limited household income. Under the premium waiver/reduction rules, any retiree whose gross household income is less than $24,000 may receive their insurance at no cost. Surviving spouses of Broome County retirees may apply to receive their health insurance at a reduced cost, if their spouse retired before January 1, 2002. Surviving spouses of retirees who retired on or after January 1, 2002 are not eligible for the reduced cost program. For both surviving spouses of Broome County employees and Broome County retirees the qualifying income for a reduction in their health insurance cost is a household income of less than $24,000 per year. The application is made on a simplified form issued by the Office of Risk & Insurance Management. If approved, the waiver is effective from May 1 through April 30. Participants must apply each year for a premium waiver.