Do Lower Workers Comp Medical Prices Mean Worse Care? – WCRI Webinar

Do Lower Workers Comp Medical Prices = Worse Care?

Lower Workers Comp medical prices receive such little press.  Most of the buzz articles cover when prices increase in the Workers’ C0mp arena. Some states such as California have enacted stricter fee schedules in the last 5 years.   

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WCRI (Workers’ Compensation Research Institure) recently produced a study comparing medical prices with standard of care. I had always thought that higher medical prices resulted in better care. 

After reading the report, I am going to check in on the webinar  to make sure. The two authors of the study Dr. Savych and Dr. Formenko have published many groundbreaking studies. Dr. Savych publised one of my favortie reports on what happens to the employee after the resolution of a workers comp claim.

From WCRI:

Cambridge, MA, July 11, 2019 – Does it matter for outcomes that workers experience after their injuries if workers’ compensation pays less or more for medical care than group health insurers?

Join Dr. Bogdan Savych of the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) for a one-hour webinar on Thursday, August 8, at 2 p.m. ET as he discusses the findings from his study Workers’ Compensation Medical Prices and Outcomes of Injured Workers and takes audience questions.

The study is the first to combine surveys of injured workers with claims data to provide a comprehensive look at the relationship between workers’ compensation prices for medical services and the outcomes that workers experience after a work-related injury.

“One of the concerns that is often expressed is that when workers’ compensation prices are set too low, workers would experience problems getting timely access to medical care. This, in turn, would lead to poor recovery and problems with achieving timely return to work,” said John Ruser, president and CEO of WCRI. “However, prior evidence about the relationship between workers’ compensation prices and outcomes was limited until this study.”

Questions Addressed:

• How are changes in workers’ compensation prices related to the outcomes that workers experience after work-related injuries, including measures of access to care, amount of care received, recovery of health and functioning, return to work, and duration of disability?
• How does the impact of prices on outcomes vary based on whether workers’ compensation prices are substantially below or above prices paid by group health insurers?
• What is the predicted change in outcomes when prices increase or decrease?

Webinars are $50 for Non-Members and FREE for WCRI Members, members of the press, legislators as well as their staff, and state public officials who make policy decisions regarding workers’ compensation. Attendance is limited to 500 people, and all attendees receive a free copy of the slides. To register, visit https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2214816492343564.

This blog post is provided by James Moore, AIC, MBA, ChFC, ARM, and is republished with permission from J&L Risk Management Consultants. Visit the full website at www.cutcompcosts.com.

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