NASI: Recession Affects Workers' Compensation Trends; Benefits Grew Faster Than Wages for the First Time Since 1992 7/15/2003
From: Jill Braunstein of the National Academy of Social Insurance 202-452-8097 or jillbraun@nasi.org WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Benefits paid to workers and employers' costs for workers' compensation rose slightly faster than wages in 2001, according to a new report released today by the National Academy of Social Insurance. This is the first year since 1992 that benefits grew faster than wages and the first year since 1993 that employer costs rose faster than wages. Workers' compensation pays for medical care and cash benefits for workers who are injured on the job or become ill due to job-related causes. In providing health care and cash benefits to disabled workers and their families, workers' compensation is second in size only to Social Security disability insurance and Medicare. Workers' compensation benefits and costs grew faster than wages in 2001, in large part because of the economic recession that began in March 2001. The recession brought the slowest growth in wages in more than a decade and a decline in the number of covered workers. In 2001, wages grew by just 2.4 percent, while total workers' compensation benefits grew by 3.5 percent -- for a total of $49.4 billion. Benefits per $100 of wages grew by one cent, from $1.06 in 2000 to $1.07 in 2001. Benefits were about 36 percent lower than their peak in 1992 when benefits were $1.68 per $100 of wages (see Figure 1). Employer costs, which reflect premiums charged by insurers, rose by 8.0 percent in 2001 to $63.9 billion. Employer costs per $100 of wages rose by seven cents, from $1.32 in 2000 to $1.39 in 2001, but still remain below their 1993 level of $2.16 per $100 of wages. Workers' compensation premiums are affected by many factors, including the performance of financial markets. Insurers collect premiums up front and pay benefits later. When investment returns are high, insurers can charge employers lower premiums that otherwise would be needed to cover benefits, as occurred in the 1990s. Reduced investment returns in 2001 contributed to higher premiums. "The long-term decline in benefits and costs relative to wages since 1992-93 is due, in large part, to fewer reported accidents and fewer claims for workers' compensation," explained John F. Burton, Jr., of Rutgers University and chair of the NASI Panel that oversees the study. Workplace accidents that result in lost work days declined from 3.0 to 1.7 per 100 full-time workers between 1992 and 2001, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Industry sources report similar declines in workers' compensation claims. "Other reasons for the decline include more active management of medical care and more efficient return-to-work programs and other efforts to reduce costs," Burton added. "At the same time, some are concerned that initiatives to control costs, discourage fraud, and tighten eligibility requirements cause injured workers to be denied benefits or discouraged from claiming them," Burton concluded. These trends are discussed in the NASI Brief, Workers' Compensation and Older Workers, at htpp://www.nasi.org. The report, Workers' Compensation: Benefits, Coverage, and Costs, 2001, is the sixth in a NASI series that provides the only comprehensive national data on this largely state-run program. The study provides estimates of workers' compensation payments - cash and medical - for each state, the District of Columbia, and the federal programs providing workers' compensation benefits. "Because each state has its own rules for workers' compensation in terms of benefits, financing, administration, and coverage," Burton noted, "it is essential to have comprehensive and consistent national and state data to evaluate the impact of these programs on workers and employers." Workers' compensation also pays survivor benefits to dependents of workers killed on the job. (See NASI Brief, Social Insurance for Survivors: Family Benefits from Social Security and Workers' Compensation, at http://www.nasi.org.) --- Figure 3. National Worker's Compensation Benefits and Costs per $100 of Covered Wages, 1989-2001 Benefits (per $100 of wages): 1989 (1.46)); 1990 (1.57); 1991 (1.65); 1992 (1.68); 1993 (1.61); 1994 (1.51); 1995 (1.38); 1996 (1.26); 1997 (1.18); 1998 (1.12); 1999 (1.09); 2000 (1.06); 2001 (1.07) Employer Costs (per $100 of wages): 1989 (2.04)); 1990 (2.18); 1991 (2.16); 1992 (2.12); 1993 (2.16); 1994 (2.05); 1995 (1.82); 1996 (1.66); 1997 (1.48); 1998 (1.35); 1999 (1.33); 2000 (1.32); 2001 (1.39) Source: National Academy of Social Insurance, 2003 Workers' Compensation: Benefits, Coverage, and Costs, 2001. --- NOTE TO REPORTERS AND EDITORS: The full report and state-specific information are available from the Academy's website at http://www.nasi.org. For a free copy of the printed report, contact Jill Braunstein at 202-452-8097 or by e-mail at jillbraun@nasi.org EXPERTS TO CONTACT: Cecili Thompson Williams, Data Specialist, Income Security, National Academy of Social Insurance, 202-452-8097, e-mail: cecilit@nasi.org John F. Burton, Professor, Labor Studies & Employment Relations, Rutgers University, 908-753-2254, e-mail: jfburtonjr@aol.com Robert E. McGarrah, Jr., worker perspective, Senior Policy Analyst, AFL-CIO, 202-637-5335, e-mail: rmcgarra@aflcio.org Eric J. Oxfeld, employer perspective, President, UWC - Strategic Services on Unemployment and Workers' Compensation 202-637-3463, e-mail: oxfelde@uwcstrategy.org Virginia Reno, Vice President for Research, National Academy of Social Insurance, 202-452-8097, e-mail: vreno@nasi.org David Corum, insurance perspective, Assistant Vice President, American Insurance Association, 202-828-7126, e-mail: dcorum@aiadc.org Donald Elisburg, worker perspective, Attorney, 301-299-2950, e-mail: delisbur@infionline.net, Not available for calls on July 15 Robert Steggert, employer perspective, Vice President, Casualty Claims, Marriott International, Inc., 301-380-7499, e-mail: bob.steggert@marriott.com ------ The National Academy of Social Insurance is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization made up of the nation's leading experts on social insurance. Its mission is to promote understanding and informed policymaking on social insurance and related programs through research, public education, training, and the open exchange of ideas. For more information on the National Academy of Social Insurance visit http://www.nasi.org or call 202-452-8097. |