TST is having a great weekend of training in Ontario on Saturday September 29th. Jerry Truglia will present a class on " P0420-Keeping the Light Out" and David Hobbs will present a class "CAN Network Diagnostics". Both of these instructors are nationally recognized for their expertise in these subjects. Glenn Davis has arranged very special pricing for ASCCA members. If you sign up and use the code ASCCA you will get the training for only $100.00! That's a 50% discount for our members. This kind of training doesn't come around very often at such an affordable price. Seats are filling up quickly,don't miss out!

Click here for REGISTRATION.  

 Courtesy The Armstrong Report, September 2012

As a result of a little-publicized feature of the federal health care reform law, health insurance premium rebates averaging $151 per family are now going out to some 12.7 million consumers.

 Courtesy, The Armstrong Report, September 2012

IN THE WANING hours of the session in Sacramento, legislators passed a workers' comp reform bill that promises to boost benefits to injured workers and cut costs.

The bill would increase benefits for permanently disabled workers system-wide by an estimated $700 million, offset by reforms that reduce overall costs by some $1.4 billion, according to some analyses of the measure, SB 863. Gov. Jerry Brown has signaled that he will sign the legislation when it reaches his desk. The bill was passed on the last day of the session by a bipartisan vote (66-4 in the Assembly and 32-3 in the Senate).

Key parts of the bill include:

* Imposing fees for filing medical liens, a measure that is being proposed to reduce the number of liens being filed by service providers. The lien backlog has grown dramatically over the last few years, resulting in slower claims processing times and adding sometimes a few thousand dollars to the cost of a claim due to legal expenses. The measure proposes levying a $150 fi ling fee (which would be recoverable if the lien filer wins). An analysis of the bill by actuarial firm Bickmore & Associates estimates the change would reduce the number of liens filed annually by 384,000. Since the average lien seeks recovery of $1,500, with the typical lien being settled for 10% of the cost, the fee would likely result in fewer liens being filed.

* Eliminating the consideration of future earning capacity in the disability formula for injuries. This could shave up to $888 million off system costs.

* Eliminating sleep disorder, sexual dysfunction and psychological issues as add-ons to primary injuries when determining disability awards. These three items combined could shave as much as $192 million a year from system costs.

* Removing duplicate spinal surgery costs. This has been a drain on the system as medical providers essentially are able to double-bill for spinal surgery implants thanks to loopholes in the Official Medical Fee Schedule. Expected cost savings: $129 million a year.

* The bill also would establish an independent medical review process for workers' comp medical treatment disputes, as well as an independent bill review process for resolving health insurance disputes.  Expected cost savings: $125 million a year.

Another area of cost savings, which was added at the last minute, should improve injured workers' outcomes and reduce claims costs. The amendment would create a $120 million return-to-work program at the Department of Industrial Relations that would not come out of the state's General Fund. Instead, the program would be supported by the Workers' Compensation Administration Revolving Fund, which California employers pay into via annual assessments on their policies.The amendment states that the funds would be "for the purpose of making supplemental payments to workers whose permanent disability benefi ts are disproportionately low in comparison to their earnings loss. Eligibility for payments and the amount of payments shall be determined by regulations adopted by the director, based on findings from studies conducted by the director in consultation with the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation."

Savings estimates  

The Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau estimates the bill would shave $900 million from the system in 2013, and then $300 million annually beginning in 2014 when all the benefit increases are implemented. These estimates were generated before the late amendments to the bill.State Compensation Insurance Fund said that once the bill is enacted, it will likely cut its rates by 5%-7% for 2013. 

ASCCA is seeking nominations from members who have an interest in running for a position on the ASCCA Board of Directors. The election will take place at the next Team Weekend, September 29-30, 2012, Embassy Suites, Sacramento, CA.

ASCCA Public Relations slogan is designed with the purpose of ensuring that the ASCCA sign is synonymous with quality automotive shops. The slogan, The Sign You Can Trust! is directed at your potential and existing customers.

This exciting campaign was kicked off at the 2012 Summer Conference with the introduction of the new adjunct sign, The Sign You Can Trust!  This new sign can be ordered to hang under your existing ASCCA shop sign.

The adjunct sign is the first step to create public awareness that will translate into consumers looking for shops displaying the ASCCA sign. The goal of our campaign is to increase your business with new customers and help you retain existing clients. Participate in this new campaign and help strengthen the public's awareness that ASCCA shops are the shops they can trust to meet their automotive needs!  

How to use the new slogan:

• Place on existing letterhead, business cards, brochures and forms.
• On your website and social media pages.
• In your printed and electronic newsletters.
• With your local advertising.
• Place on Press Releases when producing information for public distribution.
• Place the adjunct sign with the slogan beneath your ASCCA sign at your shop.
• Incorporate on promotional material produced for your shop, such as calendars, mugs, magnets, pens, etc.

For more information on getting the ASCCA logo with the new slogan and for purchasing an adjunct sign, contact ASCCA staff at (800) 810-4272 or email Heather Vigil at [email protected].  

The One Member Can! campaign has pushed off with great momentum and we've seen just how much one member CAN make a difference!

Since the launch of the One Member Can! campaign in February, ASCCA has seen individual members throughout the state rise to the occasion to reach out and make a difference in their Chapter and for ASCCA!

Rory Balmer has already earned his first iPad and is well on his way towards earning more prizes.  Rory (pictured below) was awarded his iPad at the ASCCA Summer Conference, June 23-24 at the Hilton Irvine Orange County.  

You Can Make a Difference & Be Rewarded Too!

Remember when you recruit a new member to send in your coupon on the bottom of the One Member Can! Membership Drive or send an email with your name and the name of the member(s) you have recruited.

The One Member Can! informative, 2-page flyer is designed to be printed double-sided on 8 �" x 11" sheets of paper, while the one page poster is designed to be a tabletop piece, printed on glossy 8" x 10" stock paper - to be place next to the 2-page flyers. There is also a 16" x 20" poster available. If you would like to display a poster of that size, please contact us directly and the template will be forwarded separately.

Please take a moment to read through the marketing material thoroughly. The more you know about our One Member Can! campaign - the better you'll be at using it to engage and enlist new members! The material also contains instructions on how to report your new member sign-ups, and how you can win a new iPad.

If you need any additional information or have questions, please don't hesitate to contact Heather Vigil at (800) 810-4272 or [email protected].