13 www.ortrucking.org Issue 1 | 2024 this percentage decrease is an average, and individual class codes will experience varying increases or decreases. Below are the pure rate changes from 2023 to 2024 for common trucking principal class codes: 7219 Truck—Haul -8.68% 7225 Automobile Towing -3.60% 7230 Trucking— Parcel/Package -1.12% 7231 Mail Delivery -6.79% 7232 Trucking— Mail/Parcel/Package -8.28% 7360 Freight Handling -5.21% 7382 Bus Co-All Emp -1.68% 7403 Aviation—Airport/ Heliport -0.59% 8293 Furniture Moving -8.94% 9310 Log Truck Driver -8.32% 9403 Garbage/Ash/ Refuse Collection -3.66% Legislative Changes Impacting Claims In addition to NCCI changes, understanding the changes from Oregon’s recent legislative session is crucial for businesses as they navigate the workers’ compensation regulations. The following bills have been signed into law and will impact workers’ compensation claims. Senate Bill 418 (2023) introduces significant changes to the regulations governing paid time off for individuals seeking medical services related to a workers’ compensable disabling injury. One key modification involves the removal of the previous requirement that a worker must be absent from work for a minimum four-hour period to qualify for claim related medical services and to be eligible for temporary disability benefits, also known as time loss. House Bill 3412 (2022) extends the timeframe within which a Physician Assistant (PA) can serve as an attending physician for an injured worker. Under the revised legislation, a PA is now authorized to act as the attending physician for a period of 180 days, starting from the date of the first visit on the initial claim. Additionally, the PA is granted the ability to approve temporary disability benefits for the injured worker during the same 180-day period. House Bill 4138 (2022) brings significant changes to regulations by introducing amendments that extend the timeframe within which an authorized provider can retroactively authorize temporary disability benefits from 14 to 45 days. Additionally, the bill As businesses work through this planning period, it is important to keep in mind that several changes in workers’ compensation rates and claim systems may impact these processes. includes a requirement for insurers to provide written notice to the worker before terminating temporary disability benefits as well as a seven days’ notice upon receiving information that the worker has reached medically stationary status. Also, within HB 4138, the maximum allowable recovery from permanent partial disability compensation is capped at 50 percent of the total compensation awarded to the worker within a two-year time limit. These regulatory and legislative changes reflect a broader initiative aimed at improving the workers’ compensation system in Oregon. As businesses navigate the complexities.
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