The 19th edition of this study for Texas can help policymakers and other system stakeholders identify current cost drivers and emerging trends in a wide variety of workers’ compensation cost components. This report examines cost trends and provides meaningful comparisons between Texas and 17 other study states on total costs per claim and key components, including medical payments, indemnity benefits, and benefit delivery expenses. It further examines trends and comparisons of key underlying cost components, such as duration of temporary disability and frequency and cost of permanent partial disability/lump-sum claims.

Claims with experience through 2018 for injuries up to and including 2017 were analyzed for this report. The report’s major findings focus on injuries that occurred in the most recent period, from 2012 to 2017, and resulted in at least seven days of lost time from work. In some cases, a longer time frame is provided to supply historical context to the system. Minimal residual impact from House Bill (HB) 7 is expected on current trends. In the “Discussion of Major Findings” section of this report, we demonstrate changes after legislative action for key metrics, particularly the impact of HB 7 (implementation mainly in 2005 through 2011) on cost drivers and trends.

CompScope™ Benchmarks for Texas, 19th Edition. Carol A. Telles and Helen M. Wellman. April 2019. WC-19-15.

Copyright: WCRI