State's largest workers' comp insurer cuts rates 20 percent

HELENA — The board of the state's largest workers' compensation insurer cut its rates by 20 percent on Friday, a move that some hope will help the business community and encourage more job creation and higher wages.

The 7-0 vote by the Montana State Fund board (MSF) comes on the heels of House Bill 334, a massive workers' compensation reform package passed in the 2011 legislative session. Although it's workers' compensation costs are going down, Montana has the highest workers' compensation rates in the country.

And lawmakers in the most recent session made workers' compensation reform a...