WCIRB Says 2.9% Decrease, Garamendi Wants 4%

California Insurance Commissioner yesterday was told by the WCIRB that a rate reduction of 2.9% may be instituted on rates adopted July 1 based on savings estimates derived from the suite of pending workers' comp reform legislation, of which SB 228 and AB 227 are the primary bills.Garamendi, however, is looking for more information before making a decision, and has deferred the issue until October. The Bureau's "conservative" estimate of $4.1 billion in savings failed to take into consideration savings to be derived from medical treatment guidelines and anti-fraud efforts, reforms consider...