Medical Payments per Workers’ Compensation Claim in Virginia Were Among the Highest Of Study States
CAMBRIDGE, MA (PRWEB) November 03, 2015 -- Driven primarily by prices, medical payments per workers’ compensation claim with more than seven days of lost time in Virginia were among the highest of the study states, according to a recent study issued by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI).
The report, CompScope™ Medical Benchmarks for Virginia, 16th Edition, found that overall medical payments per workers’ compensation claim with more than seven days of lost time were 33 percent higher than the median of the study states.
The report studied medical payments, prices, and utilization in 17 states, including Virginia, looking at claim experience through 2014 on injuries that occurred in 2013 and earlier. WCRI’s CompScope™ Medical Benchmark studies compare payments from state to state and across time.
“As this report shows, medical prices in Virginia were a contributing factor to higher payments that employers pay on workers’ compensation claims, and medical prices continue to grow,” said Ramona Tanabe, WCRI’s executive vice president.
For nonhospital providers (physicians and physical/occupational therapists), overall prices were 13 percent higher than the 17-state median, while utilization―a measure that includes number of visits per claim and services per visit as well as the resource intensity of services provided―was mostly typical.
Higher-than-typical prices also contributed to higher payments per claim for outpatient services, according to the study.
The study also found that medical payment per workers’ compensation claim with more than seven days of lost time in Virginia changed little in 2013, after rapid growth in earlier years. This reflects offsetting trends for nonhospital providers—prices for nonhospital services continued growing, while utilization decreased.
To purchase this study, visit http://www.wcrinet.org/studies/public/books/csmed16_VA_book.html.
The Cambridge-based WCRI is recognized as a leader in providing high-quality, objective information about public policy issues involving workers' compensation systems.
ABOUT WCRI
The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Cambridge, MA. Organized in late 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Andrew Kenneally, Workers Compensation Research Institute, +1 (617) 661-9274 Ext: 257, [email protected]
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