SOUTH POINT — Changes in workers comp payments may help out local employers. Those changes were discussed on Friday when the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation and other agencies met with Lawrence County employers at the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce.

On July 1, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation switched to prospective billing for employers which will require payment before it provides coverage with Workers’ Comp covering transition costs with transitional credit at no additional cost for the employers.

“We think for businesses, it will fall more in line with how they pay bills,” Melissa Vince, Ohio Workers’ Comp public information officer, said.

Some benefits of the switch include an overall base rate reduction of 2 percent for private employers, opportunities for more flexible payment options and increased ability for Ohio Workers’ Comp to detect employer non-compliance and fraud.

Options private employers have include paying monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, bi-annually and annually after certain payments are met after certain dates.

“We’ve gotten positive feedback from employers that this is how bills are paid for insurance,” Vince said. “This will fall in line with that.”

Lawrence County Auditor Jason Stephens said the new model is more familiar for employers because of its similarities to insurance payments, but it won’t make a huge change.

“I don’t think the billing change will have a real drastic difference,” Stephens said. “But we feel it more than other places because we border two states. It’s important to have good workers’ comp rates and keep workers safe.