State Board of Workers' Compensation

What State Board of Workers' Compensation does

The State Board of Workers' Compensation (SBWC) is a Georgia state government agency originally established in 1920 as the Industrial Commission and later renamed to its current form. Operating under the statutory authority of O.C.G.A. Title 34 Chapter 9, SBWC administers the Georgia workers' compensation program, adjudicating claims, mediating disputes, publishing medical, dental, and rehabilitation fee schedules, certifying managed care organizations and rehabilitation suppliers, and enforcing compliance across the state's workers' compensation system. The agency serves over 300,000 Georgia employers required to carry workers' compensation coverage and over 5 million workers potentially entitled to benefits, operating through seven regional offices in Atlanta, Albany, Columbus, Dalton, Gainesville, Macon, and Savannah, plus fifteen mediation sites covering all 159 Georgia counties.

SBWC's technology platform centers on the Integrated Claims Management System (ICMS) for online claims filing and case tracking, an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system compliant with IAIABC Claims Release 3.0 standards for electronic submission by insurers and self-insured employers, and a searchable Physician Database for locating panel physicians and specialists. A coverage verification system enables real-time confirmation of workers' compensation insurance status, while an online payment system processes assessment payments. The agency is currently undergoing ICMS and IT systems modernization, and has deferred migration to IAIABC EDI Release 3.1 pending further evaluation. SBWC is led by Chairman Ben Vinson and operates under the governance of the State of Georgia, with no private shareholders or equity involvement.

The agency's funding model is structurally distinct from commercial enterprises: SBWC does not charge fees for core regulatory services and instead is funded through mandatory assessments on workers' compensation insurers and self-insurers based on claims paid, as established under O.C.G.A. §34-9-358. Stakeholder engagement occurs through the Annual Educational Conference, an Adjuster Training Program, Regional Educational Seminars, and LinkedIn communications. The agency maintains partnerships with industry associations including the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC), the Southern Association of Workers' Compensation Administrators (SAWCA), and the Workers' Compensation Research Institute (WCRI), alongside numerous EDI trading partner integrations with vendors such as Mitchell/Enlyte, EBIX, ISO, and Riskonnect.

Name

State Board of Workers' Compensation

Legal name

State Board of Workers' Compensation

Website

https://sbwc.georgia.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The State Board of Workers' Compensation is a Georgia state government agency that administers the state's workers' compensation program, adjudicating claims, mediating disputes, and publishing fee schedules for over 300,000 employers and 5 million workers across Georgia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workers' Compensation Administration

NAICS

Administration of Human Resource Programs (9231)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Work Injury & Workers’ Compensation / Occupational Injury Benefits (BPAIAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Managed Workers’ Compensation (Loss Control, Claims & Return-to-Work Programs) (FSAJAEAH)

Keywords

• Workers compensation administration
• Claims management system
• Dispute resolution mediation
• Insurance coverage verification
• Medical fee schedule

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The State Board of Workers' Compensation administers Georgia's workers' compensation program through claims processing, mediation and adjudication, medical fee schedule oversight, managed care and rehabilitation supplier certification, and EDI-based electronic claims filing. It operates the Integrated Claims Management System (ICMS), the Physician Database, the Workers' Compensation Coverage Verification System, and an Online Payments platform, supported by seven regional offices and fifteen mediation sites serving more than 300,000 employers and over 5 million workers in Georgia.

Product overview

The Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation operates as a state government agency providing a unified workers' compensation administration platform. The core offerings include the Integrated Claims Management System (ICMS) for claims processing, an EDI system for electronic claims submission, and the Physician Database for locating treating physicians. Fee schedules for medical, dental, and rehabilitation services are published annually. The agency operates regional offices across Georgia (Albany, Atlanta, Columbus, Dalton, Gainesville, Macon, Savannah) and provides mediation services through its Alternative Dispute Resolution division. Key products also include coverage verification, online payment processing, and certification programs for managed care organizations and rehabilitation suppliers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Integrated Claims Management System (ICMS) Primary electronic platform for managing Georgia workers' compensation claims, enabling case tracking, document processing, online claims filing via WC-14, case status tracking, and WC-12 online payments for employers, insurers, attorneys, and injured workers.
• EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) System Electronic data interchange system based on IAIABC Claims EDI Release 3.0 standards, enabling registered trading partners (insurers, self-insured employers, TPAs) to submit workers' compensation claims data electronically to SBWC under formal trading partner agreements.
• Physician Database Online searchable database assisting employers, insurers, self-insured employers, and attorneys in selecting panel physicians and finding physician specialists willing to provide medical services to injured Georgia workers.
• Georgia Medical Fee Schedule Annual fee schedule published by SBWC outlining reimbursement rates for medical services under Georgia workers' compensation, distributed through Fair Health.
• Georgia Dental Fee Schedule Annual fee schedule for dental services under Georgia workers' compensation, distributed through Fair Health.
• Rehabilitation Supplier & Case Management Fee Schedule Annual fee schedule for rehabilitation suppliers and case management services under Georgia workers' compensation; updated effective April 1, 2025.
• WC-14 Claim Form Official form required to file a workers' compensation claim with the State Board of Workers' Compensation, submitted through the ICMS online portal.
• Managed Care Organization (MCO) Certification Certification program for managed care organizations providing workers' compensation medical case management in Georgia.
• Rehabilitation Supplier Services Certification Certification for catastrophic rehabilitation suppliers providing specialized rehabilitation services for severely injured workers in Georgia.
• Workers' Compensation Coverage Verification System Database system enabling verification of workers' compensation insurance coverage for insurers, self-insured employers, and group funds holding SBWC ID numbers.
• Online Payments System Digital platform (WC-12) for processing online payments for workers' compensation-related fees and assessments.
• Mediation Services (ADR Division) Alternative Dispute Resolution services provided through six trained mediators and 15 statewide mediation sites to resolve Georgia workers' compensation disputes before trial.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kids' ChancecoreOthersNational organization providing educational scholarships to children of Georgia workers seriously, catastrophically, or fatally injured on the job. Governor Brian Kemp declared October 13-17, 2025 as Kids' Chance Awareness Week.
• Southern Association of Workers' Compensation Administrators (SAWCA)coreOthersRegional association of workers' compensation administrators from southern states for information sharing and best practices.
• International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC)coreTechnology or IntegrationInternational association providing EDI standards for workers' compensation claims reporting. Georgia SBWC uses IAIABC EDI Claims Release 3.0 for electronic claims filing.
• Workers' Compensation Research Institute (WCRI)minorOthersResearch organization providing data and analysis on workers' compensation systems for policy improvement.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• New York Workers' Compensation Board: New York's quasi-judicial body administering workers' compensation laws and adjudication; mirrors SBWC's regulatory and dispute-resolution functions at larger scale.
• Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation: Ohio's state-fund workers' compensation insurer and administrator; performs analogous claims administration and employer oversight functions for a comparable industrial base.
• North Carolina Industrial Commission: North Carolina's state agency adjudicating workers' compensation claims; functionally identical to SBWC and named explicitly in SBWC personnel backgrounds (Kimberly Reaves practiced before the NC Industrial Commission).
• Texas Department of Insurance - Division of Workers' Compensation: Texas state workers' compensation regulator handling claims administration and dispute resolution; comparable mandate to Georgia SBWC under state-specific statutes.
• California Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC): California's state agency administering workers' compensation claims, dispute resolution, and oversight for injured workers; structurally analogous to Georgia SBWC with similar statutory regulatory role.
• Florida Division of Workers' Compensation: Florida's state-administered workers' compensation oversight entity with claims, enforcement, and compliance duties analogous to Georgia SBWC.
• Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry - Bureau of Workers' Compensation: Pennsylvania's state regulator for workers' compensation, administering claims, employer compliance, and dispute resolution in parallel with Georgia SBWC.

Others

• International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC): Industry association providing the EDI standards (Release 3.0 / 3.1) on which SBWC's electronic claims filing depends; an ecosystem enabler rather than a direct competitor.
• Workers' Compensation Research Institute (WCRI): Independent research organization producing workers' compensation policy and outcomes analysis; listed as a SBWC partner and serves adjacent role in the same regulatory ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Sedgwick Claims Management Services: Large third-party administrator handling workers' compensation claims on behalf of insurers and employers; interacts with SBWC as EDI trading partners but operates in the private-sector adjacencies of the same domain.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/state-board-of-workers-compensation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about State Board of Workers' Compensation