The Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) released a study titled “Health Insurance and Outcomes of Injured Workers” which looks at the relationship between workers with health insurance and what that means for workers after a work-related injury.
They found that even though workers are covered by comp, whether they have health insurance, and the source of the insurance, may predict how quickly they see a doctor and return to work, among other things. Injured workers with employer-sponsored health insurance see somewhat quicker recovery rates, returning to work on average a week faster, and higher rates of return to work (2.5% higher). They received evaluation and management services more quickly, had higher rates of satisfaction with primary providers and had lower rates of hiring an attorney for comp claims.
Researchers reported little difference in the likelihood of workers reporting problems obtaining medical services, or in the kind of care received.
The authors utilized data from the American Community Survey (ACS) and documented changes in health insurance coverage of workers between 2008 and 2017, then they compared characteristics of injured workers with and without health insurance for non-work-related injuries. Then they looked at relationships between health insurance coverage for non-work-related injuries and the outcomes that workers experienced who had been injured at work.
Employees who have health insurance increased from 84% in 2008 to 90% in 2017, large jumps attributed to the Affordable Care Act. Of injured workers surveyed, an average of 82% said they had health insurance at the time of their work injury. At the low end were 71% of respondents reporting health benefits in Florida and 88% of respondents with health benefits in Massachusetts, about a tenth received benefits from a family member and 63% said coverage was employer sponsored.
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