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USR Submission Test Requirements

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USR Submission Test Requirements

Each data provider – either an insurer or an authorized third party entity (TPE) must submit a test file for approval before beginning to report production USR files electronically. Please review the guidelines below, and then contact the WCIRB Data Submission Analysts at [email protected] to arrange the test. Please note that before a TPE can submit policy data on behalf of an insurer, the insurer must enter into an indemnification agreement with the WCIRB. View the Using Third Parties page to learn more.

The purpose of the test is to check for WCSTAT format compliance and preprocessing errors and to review the unit statistical data in our test system so that major audit errors and reporting problems can be addressed before the data is officially submitted. 

Testing is necessary under the following conditions:

  • The insurer or authorized TPE plans to submit USRs for the first time.
  • The insurer or authorized TPE plans to submit USRs for a new insurer as part of an existing insurer group.
  • An authorized TPE plans to submit USRs for a new insurer.
  • The insurer or authorized TPE transitions to a new system for entering or creating USR submissions, including transitions to and from BEEP.  Note that we recommend using BEEP to validate all USRs before sending in a submission via CDX, even if the submission was created in an alternate system.
  • The insurer or authorized TPE makes significant changes to its proprietary system for entering or creating USR submissions or makes any changes that could affect data quality.

Getting Started

Please take the following steps before beginning to test USR submission files:

  1. Review the California Regulations.  The California Insurance Commissioner's regulations for the reporting of unit statistical data can be found here: California Workers' Compensation Uniform Statistical Reporting Plan—1995 (USRP)

  2. Review the WCIRB Data Reporting Handbook—Unit Statistical Reporting. The WCIRB Data Reporting Handbook—Unit Statistical Reporting incorporates all of the WCSTAT reporting requirements (referenced in item 3 below) and the California clarifications from the USRP into a single document. This “one-stop shop” handbook is a helpful resource designed to make it easier for users to access all of the California unit statistical reporting requirements in one document.

  3. Review the reporting format specifications (WCSTAT).  The specifications for electronic reporting of unit statistical data were developed by the WCIO (Workers Compensation Insurance Organizations) and are located on the WCIO website. The same WCSTAT specification is also available in a searchable database on the WCIO website. All WCSTAT reporting specifications for California are included in the WCIRB Data Reporting Handbook—Unit Statistical Reporting (referenced in item 2 above); however, for technical field attributes (position, field class, number of bytes), refer to the WCSTAT specification on the WCIO website. 

    Each USR submission must contain an Electronic Transmittal Record (ETR).  The ETR is the required first record in every submission file, and some of WCIRB Connect’s USR preprocessing edits validate fields in the ETR. The ETR begins with the value “$!+WORKCOMP+!$” and includes identifying information about the submitter of the file and its data, such as Name of Data Provider Contact, Phone Number of Data Provider Contact, and Data Provider Type Code. The WCIO’s specifications for the ETR are not part of WCSTAT. Please refer to the Electronic Transmittal Record  Specification on the WCIO website for the ETR fields and their attributes. All fields that are required for California should be reported in the ETR.

  4. Obtain a CDX account.  Insurers and authorized TPEs must transmit USR submissions to the WCIRB electronically using the Compensation Data Exchange (CDX) system, located on the CDX website. For more information on CDX and how to set up a CDX account, see the CDX page. Once CDX access is obtained, contact the WCIRB Data Submission Analysts at [email protected] to arrange for the setup of the insurer group in California and USR submission testing.
     
  5. For insurers, determine if you want to authorize a TPE to report on your behalf. For requirements, related to the use of TPEs, see the Using Third Parties page.

     

  6. Evaluate the BEEP system as an option for entering and/or validating USRs. The CDX website also provides access to the Bureau Entry and Edit Package (BEEP). BEEP is a web-based application that provides insurers the ability to enter, validate, edit, and electronically submit USR data through the CDX system to data collection organizations. Access to BEEP will be granted along with CDX. Information on BEEP can also be found on the CDX website.
     

    Even if your company uses a proprietary system for generating USR submission files, we recommend importing the source files into BEEP in order to validate the USRs and creating the submission file within BEEP for transmission to the WCIRB via CDX.  Using BEEP’s validation features can reduce submission errors that may result in the file being rejected by the WCIRB.
     

  7. Review the CDX file naming conventions.  USR submission files must be named in accordance with the file naming conventions listed on the CDX page.
     
  8. Identify a USR Manager Contact and, if desired, a separate USR Data Submission Contact.  If you have not already done so, please identify the following insurer contact(s):
    1. USR Manager Contact
      The USR Manager Contact will access all USR audit correspondence as well as the control, delinquent, and fine lists for unreported USRs for your insurer group in WCIRB Connect®.

      This is the default contact for all issues related to USR data reporting. An insurer group may also designate a separate USR Submission Contact.

    2. USR Data Submission Contact (optional)
      The USR Data Submission Contact will receive all correspondence related to USR submission files, including rejected USRs and submissions, issues with data reporting, and reports related to USR submissions and preprocessing errors. This correspondence will be sent by email; an email address is required.

      Recommended:

      • Consider designating a single USR Data Submission Contact for your insurer group, even if multiple individuals from your group create and submit USR files to the WCIRB.
      • Consider using a group email address instead of an individual’s email address so that others can respond to correspondence in the absence of the USR Data Submission Contact (e.g., Acmedatareporting @acme.com instead of john.smith @acme.com).
      • Consider designating a second contact whom we will copy (“cc”) on all correspondence sent to the USR Data Submission Contact.

Test File Requirements

The test submission must follow these general requirements:

  • The test submission must include 15-20 unit reports, including all of the following:
    • Original first reports, including, if possible, “split” exposure for multiple experience modification factors
    • Subsequent reports, including changing values of previously reported claims or reporting new claims
    • Correction reports, including corrections to exposure, claim, header and total fields
  • Actual USR data is preferred but fictitious test data will be accepted. If possible, the test submission should include actual data instead of test data. If the data provider is submitting unit statistical data for the first time, actual data will not be available for subsequent and correction reports. In this case, either test data may be used, or a two-phase test approach will be necessary: an initial test using actual first reports, and then, once the first reports are in production, a second test for actual subsequent and correction reports.
  • All USRs should contain all of the required data elements for all records.
     
  • All test files should be submitted via CDX and the Submission Type Code (position 64 of the ETR) must have a value of T (“test”).

Once your test file is ready to be submitted to the WCIRB, please notify us by emailing the file name to the Data Submission Analysts at [email protected].