The National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) reported that California accounts for almost one-fifth of medical benefits paid for workers’ comp across the whole country, or 11.9 percent of all jobs covered.

NASI’s report on state and federal workers’ comp programs cover 138 million jobs and $7.4 trillion in covered payroll for 2016. In 2016 California’s state and federal comp programs covered 16.5 million jobs (11.9 percent of all jobs) and $1 trillion in payroll (13.9 percent of all payroll).

The state paid $31.1 billion in medical care and paid $30.8 billion in cash benefits, together making up 19.6 percent of all medical benefits for workers’ comp injuries and illnesses in the country.

Estimated total paid losses for 2016 showed an increase of $101 million, 0.8 percent up from the 2015 level even though total medical payments were down $45 million. The increase may be due to a $145 million increase in total indemnity payments.

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