Health Care Reform and Workers’ Compensation Programs

Affordable Care Act (ACA) may not only affect employees’ quality of care but also workers’ compensation premiums and claims.

Employers should understand how the Affordable Care Act will affect the quality of care available to their employees, the calculation of workers’ compensation premiums, and claims filings.

Although most employers have focused on how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will affect health benefit requirements, the ACA is also expected to impact how they manage their workers’ compensation costs. In “Health Care Reform and Workers’ Compensation Programs,” we examine how the ACA will affect the quality of care available to your employees, the calculation of your company’s workers’ compensation premiums, and claims filings — and what you can do to manage those effects.

We also analyze several of the claims made by the ACA's proponents to determine if they are coming to fruition, including whether:

• Workers with health insurance will be less likely to file workers’ compensation claims.
• The ACA will reduce the financial incentive for employees to get non-work-related injuries covered under workers’ compensation insurance.
• Emphasis on costly medical procedures will be reduced.

The report also examines other possible outcomes from the ACA, including how the distribution of insurance premium refunds could affect payroll taxes. And it details steps you should take to lessen any potential negative effects of the ACA on your workers' compensation program.