Today’s issue of WorkCompRecap features the release of a new report from WCRI that found total costs per claim with more than seven days of lost time in Delaware decreased in 2020 and then increased in 2021, primarily driven by changes in the availability of medical services and economic conditions.
The study is the third annual report examining key performance metrics of the Delaware’s workers’ compensation system. Key findings included that the changes in the components of total costs per claim in 2020–2021 may reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; these changes followed a long-term decrease in total costs per claim. Medical payments per claim decreased in 2020 and then increased in 2021, reflecting utilization changes during the pandemic; prices for professional services have been fairly stable since 2017. Wages of workers with injuries and duration of temporary disability increased in 2020 and 2021 following small changes in prior years.