Waltham, MA, July 30, 2024―A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) examines the prevalence and use of behavioral health support services in the New York workers’ compensation system. It follows regulatory actions that created a system for compensating a wide range of providers offering these services to injured workers.

“The specific section on behavioral health services in the state’s medical fee schedule, and the implementation of the state’s Expanded Provider Law in 2020, provide opportunities to review the coding and billing patterns associated with providing behavioral health support services to workers with injuries,” said Ramona Tanabe, WCRI president and CEO.

The study, Use of Behavioral Health Support Services in the New York Workers’ Compensation System, expands on earlier WCRI research by providing detailed insights into the billing of behavioral health support services in New York. It addresses several key research questions:

• How frequently are specific codes for behavioral health support services used in New York?
• What types of behavioral health services are provided most often?
• Does the provision of behavioral health services vary by type of injury and industry?
• How soon after the injury are behavioral health services provided?
• What types of providers bill for behavioral health services most often?
• Does the provision of behavioral health services vary within the state?

The data used to identify the prevalence and costs of behavioral health services among injured workers in this study come from WCRI’s Detailed Benchmark/Evaluation (DBE) database. The analysis focused on non-COVID-19 claims with more than seven days of lost time (indemnity claims in New York), primarily for 2020 claims with 24 months of experience. These claims reflect the full range of medical services provided in workers’ compensation cases.

To learn more about this study or to purchase a copy, visit www.wcrinet.org. The authors of this study are William Monnin-Browder and Carol A. Telles.

About WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in late 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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