Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies Center for Health Policy/Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research Stanford University


CHP/PCOR Publications


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Twenty-Four-Hour Coverage and Worker's Compensation Insurance

Journal Article

Authors
Laurence C. Baker - Stanford University
Alan B. Krueger

Published by
Health Affairs, Vol. 12 no. Supplement 1, page(s) 271-281
1993


Workers' compensation insurance provides cash benefits and health care for workers who are injured on the job. This DataWatch considers the costs and benefits of combining the health insurance component of workers' compensation with universal health insurance, creating a twenty- four-hour coverage plan. The paper documents a large potential savings from twenty-four-hour coverage: Workers' compensation medical charges are about twice as high as those for comparable off-work injuries. This disparity seems to result from price discrimination and lack of cost controls in workers' compensation. Twenty-four-hour coverage, however, may be difficult to implement.

Topics: Discrimination