COMPENSATION ADVISORY ORGANIZATION OF MICHIGAN

P. O. BOX 3337   •    LIVONIA, MI   48151-3337

PHONE (734) 462-9600    •    FAX (734) 462-9721

Internet WEB Site:  www.caom.com  • E-Mail:  caom@caom.com  

 

October 13, 2000

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CIRCULAR LETTER NO. 162


TO ALL MEMBERS
RE: RELEASE OF BEEP VERSION 2.0 BY
AMERICAN COOPERATIVE COUNCIL ON COMPENSATION TECHNOLOGY


Dear Member:

The American Cooperative Council on Compensation Technology (ACCCT), an organization of workers compensation insurance data gathering and rate advisory organizations, announced on October 1, 2000 that an updated version of their Bureau Entry and Edit Package, or "BEEP", will be available by October 31, 2000. BEEP is an easy-to-use software package, which permits insurers to efficiently compile workers compensation statistical reporting information for submission to virtually any state except for monopolistic jurisdictions.

This updated version, named BEEP 2.0, allows for extensive editing of unit statistical data in each of the jurisdictions with ACCCT members. Those jurisdictions include:
California: Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California
Delaware: Delaware Compensation Rating Bureau, Inc.
Massachusetts: Workers' Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau of Massachusetts
Michigan: Compensation Advisory Organization of Michigan
Minnesota: Minnesota Workers' Compensation Insurers Association, Inc.
New York: New York Compensation Insurance Rating Board
North Carolina: North Carolina Rate Bureau
Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Compensation Rating Bureau
Wisconsin: Wisconsin Compensation Rating Bureau
In all other non-monopolistic jurisdictions, BEEP 2.0 will allow carriers to compile unit statistical data, but with fewer validation checks than are available for ACCCT jurisdictions.

BEEP 2.0 will be distributed free to all interested licensed workers compensation insurers, many of whom already use BEEP. Registered users will automatically receive the 2.0 release.

Among the new or enhanced features of this upgraded software are:
  • The ability to calculate totals on first reports
  • The ability to enter statistical data for jurisdictions other than the ACCCT member jurisdictions.
  • Improvements in the user interface
  • Enhanced speed through use of a 32-bit Microsoft® Windows, 95/98/NT/2000 program. The new program no longer works with 16-bit Windows 3.1
BEEP 2.0 gives insurers the desk-top ability to perform initial validation of data by checking unit statistical data against a jurisdiction's requirements for statistical reporting. Insurers can than bundle these validated reports for electronic filing with the applicable jurisdiction. BEEP 2.0 also allows for data developed by the insurer's own computer system to be imported and error-checked by BEEP using those same data filing requirements. The recommended workstation for BEEP is a 200 mhz Pentium processor with 48 megabytes of memory, a CD-ROM drive or 3.5 inch diskette drive for installation, and a 1 gigabyte hard disk drive (for BEEP, the operating system, and other programs). A desktop laser or inkjet printer is also recommended. BEEP 2.0 has been tested for accuracy of Year 2000 operation.

The programming for BEEP 2.0 was performed by Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO). ISO will maintain a telephone line for customer service and support for users.

BEEP 2.0 has been developed by ACCCT members as part of their joint effort to assist insurers in developing efficient and up-to-date tools for the handling of workers' compensation data. Members of ACCCT, working the insurers, regulators and others, constantly evaluate and jointly develop tools for gathering and processing data for the workers compensation industry.

For more information on ACCCT or ACCCT projects, contact Linda Hanson, ACCCT Managing Partner, 612-897-1737 or e-mail management@accct.org.


Very truly yours,



Jerry J. Stage