The Impact of Provider Choice on Workers' Compensation Costs and Outcomes / David Neumark, Peter S. Barth, Richard Victor.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Neumark, David.

Contributor:

Barth, Peter S.

Victor, Richard.

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w11855.

NBER working paper series no. w11855

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2005.

Summary:

We study how provider choice in workers' compensation cases affects costs and outcomes. When employees choose the provider, costs are higher and return-to-work outcomes are worse, while physical recovery is the same although satisfaction with medical care is higher. The higher costs and worse return-to-work outcomes associated with employee choice arise largely when employees selected a new provider, rather than a provider with whom the worker had a pre-existing relationship. The findings lend some support to recent policy changes limiting workers' ability to choose a provider with whom they do not have a prior relationship.

Notes:

December 2005.

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