National Collegiate Athletic Association
NCAA News Archive - 2007
« back to 2007 | Back to NCAA News Archive Index
Insurance plan helps institutions bridge gaps
|
By Jack Copeland
The NCAA News
The NCAA News
The NCAA Group Basic Accident Medical Program — created last summer to introduce a best-practices approach in insuring medical expenses up to the $75,000 deductible of the Association’s catastrophic-injury insurance program — will be enhanced this year through an expanded managerial partnership that includes a leading provider of basic athletics accident insurance.
The program, created in response to rising medical costs and insurance premiums related to athletics injuries, again will provide basic accident insurance beginning August 1. Participating institutions will play a key role in implementing best practices to control costs as part of the program.
“We are very pleased with the success of the inaugural year of the program and are excited about the coming year,” said Keith Martin, NCAA managing director of finance and operations. “What we are offering our member institutions goes beyond just a good insurance product. We also want to give NCAA institutions the tools necessary to enable them to control their athletics insurance costs.
“The best way to help NCAA members in this endeavor is to surround participants with the best team available.”
That team again includes American Specialty Insurance and Risk Management Services, the NCAA’s longtime insurance and risk management administrator, and Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company, which has insured the catastrophic-injury insurance program for nine years and also serves as insurer for the basic accident program.
But the program has been enhanced by the involvement of Summit America Insurance Services — which currently provides basic accident insurance for more than 100 NCAA member institutions — to provide assistance to NCAA members in developing proposals to participate in the Association’s basic accident program.
“The NCAA is pleased to have these industry leaders joining forces to manage this program, which is designed to create a long-term, cost-effective, stable means to manage costs of athletics injuries,” Martin said.
The program is designed to “empower” NCAA members to control costs and reduce expenses by implementing best practices to obtain competitively priced group insurance.
“Traditionally, the emphasis on managing the cost of athletics injuries has been on the cost of insurance,” said Pete Eshelman, president and chief executive officer of American Specialty, which will work with institutions participating in the NCAA program to develop and implement best practices.
“Claims experience drives insurance premiums, and the NCAA’s program is designed to empower member institutions with best practices proven to reduce the costs associated with athletics injuries,” Eshelman said.
Practices for managing risks and reducing medical expenses include primary insurance tracking, tailored provider networks, and establishment of an injury management team to evaluate and use best practices.
The program features not only tools for implementing best practices, but an online system that permits participants to manage information — including reporting injuries, tracking claims and maintaining insurance policies.
The addition of Summit America to the partnership brings additional expertise to the program.
“We believe that the NCAA Group Basic Accident Medical Program represents the best long-term solution for the NCAA and its member institutions to finance the costs of athletics injuries,” said Tom Wilson, Summit America president and chief executive officer. “We are pleased with the opportunity to work with our existing clients and new institutions to introduce the benefits of this innovative approach.”
The NCAA is working with Summit America, American Specialty and Mutual of Omaha this spring to promote the program under the theme “Bridging the Gap” — a reference to the program’s goal of achieving risk management in intercollegiate athletics.
Institutions interested in receiving further information about the program can contact an assigned program representative at 866/528-6222 (after March 1) or by e-mail at ncaa@summitamerica-ins.com.
There is no cost to participate, but advance registration is required. A link to the registration site is included in the article titled “Web cast offers basic accident program information” in the “Headlines” section on the front page of www.ncaa.org.
The Web cast will be presented by the NCAA in conjunction with program partners American Specialty Insurance and Risk Management Services, Summit America Insurance Services, and Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company.
Web cast participants will receive information about why the NCAA created the program, key features and anticipated benefits. The Web cast will include an overview of the insurance program, a discussion of best practices for controlling medical expenses, and information about program services. A question-and-answer session also will be offered.
The Web cast is recommended for athletics business officers, athletics directors, athletic trainers, risk managers and others whose responsibilities include the management of athletics injuries and related medical expenses.
The program, created in response to rising medical costs and insurance premiums related to athletics injuries, again will provide basic accident insurance beginning August 1. Participating institutions will play a key role in implementing best practices to control costs as part of the program.
“We are very pleased with the success of the inaugural year of the program and are excited about the coming year,” said Keith Martin, NCAA managing director of finance and operations. “What we are offering our member institutions goes beyond just a good insurance product. We also want to give NCAA institutions the tools necessary to enable them to control their athletics insurance costs.
“The best way to help NCAA members in this endeavor is to surround participants with the best team available.”
That team again includes American Specialty Insurance and Risk Management Services, the NCAA’s longtime insurance and risk management administrator, and Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company, which has insured the catastrophic-injury insurance program for nine years and also serves as insurer for the basic accident program.
But the program has been enhanced by the involvement of Summit America Insurance Services — which currently provides basic accident insurance for more than 100 NCAA member institutions — to provide assistance to NCAA members in developing proposals to participate in the Association’s basic accident program.
“The NCAA is pleased to have these industry leaders joining forces to manage this program, which is designed to create a long-term, cost-effective, stable means to manage costs of athletics injuries,” Martin said.
The program is designed to “empower” NCAA members to control costs and reduce expenses by implementing best practices to obtain competitively priced group insurance.
“Traditionally, the emphasis on managing the cost of athletics injuries has been on the cost of insurance,” said Pete Eshelman, president and chief executive officer of American Specialty, which will work with institutions participating in the NCAA program to develop and implement best practices.
“Claims experience drives insurance premiums, and the NCAA’s program is designed to empower member institutions with best practices proven to reduce the costs associated with athletics injuries,” Eshelman said.
Practices for managing risks and reducing medical expenses include primary insurance tracking, tailored provider networks, and establishment of an injury management team to evaluate and use best practices.
The program features not only tools for implementing best practices, but an online system that permits participants to manage information — including reporting injuries, tracking claims and maintaining insurance policies.
The addition of Summit America to the partnership brings additional expertise to the program.
“We believe that the NCAA Group Basic Accident Medical Program represents the best long-term solution for the NCAA and its member institutions to finance the costs of athletics injuries,” said Tom Wilson, Summit America president and chief executive officer. “We are pleased with the opportunity to work with our existing clients and new institutions to introduce the benefits of this innovative approach.”
The NCAA is working with Summit America, American Specialty and Mutual of Omaha this spring to promote the program under the theme “Bridging the Gap” — a reference to the program’s goal of achieving risk management in intercollegiate athletics.
Institutions interested in receiving further information about the program can contact an assigned program representative at 866/528-6222 (after March 1) or by e-mail at ncaa@summitamerica-ins.com.
Online session offers additional information
Information about the NCAA Group Basic Accident Medical Program will be offered through a Web cast at 1 p.m. (Eastern time) March 1.There is no cost to participate, but advance registration is required. A link to the registration site is included in the article titled “Web cast offers basic accident program information” in the “Headlines” section on the front page of www.ncaa.org.
The Web cast will be presented by the NCAA in conjunction with program partners American Specialty Insurance and Risk Management Services, Summit America Insurance Services, and Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company.
Web cast participants will receive information about why the NCAA created the program, key features and anticipated benefits. The Web cast will include an overview of the insurance program, a discussion of best practices for controlling medical expenses, and information about program services. A question-and-answer session also will be offered.
The Web cast is recommended for athletics business officers, athletics directors, athletic trainers, risk managers and others whose responsibilities include the management of athletics injuries and related medical expenses.
© 2010 The National Collegiate Athletic Association
Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy