NCAA member institutions are being offered opportunities to learn about a group basic accident insurance program that helps keep expenses for coverage of student-athletes down through a best-practices approach.

Seminars are planned on four campuses to explain the NCAA Group Insurance Programs, and institutions unable to send participants to those sites also have the ability to request a session at a more convenient location.

Seminars will be offered during April in Washington, D.C.; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Wheaton, Illinois; and Columbus, Ohio.

The program, introduced in 2006, seeks to maximize discounts for participants with medical-services providers, cap insurance company profits and better manage costs associated with athletics injuries, and provide such services as online claims management. It is a way in which institutions can insure medical expenses up to the deductible for the Association’s catastrophic-injury insurance program (currently $75,000, and increasing to $90,000 in 2010).

“Over the past three years, we have continually added new enhancements and benefits in our effort to provide institutions with a comprehensive solution to managing the cost associated with athletics injuries,” said Juanita Sheely, NCAA assistant director for travel and insurance.

“With the addition of benefits such as primary accident coverage, student-athlete health plans for NCAA Division I institutions and higher limits for accidental death and disability, the program has become much more than a ‘group basic accident’ program and will continue to grow and expand to meet the changing requirements of NCAA institutions, athletics administrators and athletic trainers.”

Registration is open now for next month’s two-hour seminars, which are scheduled as follows:

•         April 7 at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. (10 a.m.).

•         April 14 at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (10:30 a.m.).

•         April 28 at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois (10 a.m.).

•         April 29 at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio (11 a.m.)

“Last year, the NCAA offered 10 regional seminars across the country to present and discuss the many benefits of this unique program,” Sheely said. “More than 150 NCAA institutions attended seminars to learn more about the program. Because of the continued demand for more information about the NCAA group insurance programs, the program partners are again providing several regional seminars this year.”

There is no restriction on the number of participants that an institution may send to a seminar, but the content is aimed primarily at head athletic trainers, risk managers and key insurance decision-makers currently employed at NCAA member institutions. There is no registration fee.

The program is a partnership involving the NCAA; American Specialty Insurance and Risk Services, the NCAA’s longtime insurance and risk management administrator; Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company, the underwriting carrier that also provides claims administration services; and Summit America Insurance Services, which specializes in providing basic accident insurance plans to fit institutions’ needs.

In addition to its cost-management features, the program offers a claims management service that enables online tracking of insurance information, as well as access to an assigned claims management specialist who will assist in managing payment of claims.

Another feature is the program’s emphasis on sharing best practices for reducing medical costs, which in turn helps keep premiums down for program participants.

Institutions interested in hosting a seminar, or joining with other institutions to schedule a seminar in a more convenient location, can contact Jeff Struckle of Summit America by e-mail or by calling 913/754-5602.