Study Finds Conn. Workers Comp Costs Among the Highest

A new study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) reported that the average prices for medical services to injured workers in Connecticut are among the highest of the eight states analyzed.

The study examined eight states which account for around 40 percent of the total benefits paid in the U.S. (See IJ Website April 26 – Mass. and April 24 – Penn.) Connecticut’s “higher overall prices for medical services are the result of higher prices for physician services, which are 25 percent higher than the eight-state median, according to the study.”

“Average prices for major surgery in Connecticut ($1,589) are nearly double those of the eight-state average ($819),” said the announcement. It noted that this was “not surprising given the relatively high fee schedule in Connecticut – particularly for radiology and surgical procedures – compared with the schedules in the other study states.”

Of the states covered by the study, Connecticut has the second highest average price per services paid to physicians at $115. Wisconsin has the highest at $137, and the average was $92.

“On the other hand, the average number of services per claim in Connecticut is among the lowest of the eight states (for claims with more than seven days of lost time),” said the bulletin. “This results in per-claim payments that are lower than the median. The average medical payment per claim for Connecticut is $4,372 – 18 percent lower than the median of $5,334.”

Topics Workers' Compensation Connecticut