End-of-Fiscal-Year Compensation Claims
May 27, 2003

I'm writing to pass on some positive claim information from the AOC: until this year's budget allotment runs out, the AOC will be able to process and pay claims after July 1st, so long as:

(1) If it's an interim claim, the AOB was filed by June 30, 2003
(2) If it's a final claim, the opinion was filed by June 30, 2003

This is the same arrangement the AOC was able to make last year. Although it is not possible to make complete predictions, the AOC anticipates being able to pay a significant portion of such claims (i.e., claims where the work was done within the above milestones) before its funds run out.

The AOC cannot pay claims where the AOB (interim claims) or the opinion (final claims) were filed after June 30, 2003; payment for those claims must await passage of a State budget. However, as noted, the AOC hopes to be able to pay most claims where the milestones were by June 30, 2003, even if the claim is submitted after July 1st.