This study examines whether employees injured at work are more likely to file under workers’ compensation instead of group health insurance when their group health plan has a higher deductible. The study has great relevance since the number of workers in health insurance plans with high deductibles is growing.

In years past, workers may have chosen to have a work injury covered within their group health plan. But, the increasing cost of deductibles may cause them to consider having the injury covered ─ where it potentially belongs ─ in the workers’ compensation system, where there are no deductibles or copayments for the medical care they receive.

The study also estimated the increase in workers’ compensation volume from the growth in high deductible group health policies. The increase partially offsets the overall decline in workers’ compensation claims seen over the past decade.

Do Higher Deductibles in Group Health Plans Increase Injured Workers’ Propensity to File for Workers’ Compensation? Olesya Fomenko and Jonathan Gruber. February 2019. WC-19-19.

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