For Immediate Release | August 16, 2011
Contact:
Jill Braunstein at (202) 452-8097
WASHINGTON, DC —Workers’ compensation benefits for Washington workers injured on the job increased by 5.4 percent to $2.3 billion in 2009, according to a study released today by the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI). The number of covered workers in Washington fell to 2.7 million in 2009 (the most recent year with complete data), a 4.3 percent drop from the previous year, due in large part to the economic downturn.
Workers’ compensation benefits for medical care in Washington increased by 1.1 percent to $0.8 billion and cash benefits increased by 7.9 percent to $1.5 billion in 2009. Spending on medical care in Washington constituted 35 percent of total benefits.
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Workers’ Compensation Benefits and Coverage, 2009
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| WASHINGTON | ||
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Aggregate Amounts
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2009
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Change in Percent
|
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Covered workers (in millions)
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2.7
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-4.3
|
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Covered wages (in billions)
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$127
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-2.5
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Workers’ compensation benefits paid (in billions)
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$2.3
|
5.4
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Medical benefits
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0.8
|
1.1
|
| Cash benefits | 1.5 | 7.9 |
| Medical benefits share | 35% | – |
| UNITED STATES | ||
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Covered workers (in millions)
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124.9
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-4.4
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Covered wages (in billions)
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$5,675
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-4.7
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| Workers’ compensation benefits paid (in billions) | $58.3 | 0.4 |
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Medical benefits
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28.9
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-1.1
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Cash benefits
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29.4
|
1.9
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| Employer costs | $73.9 | -7.6 |
| Source: National Academy of Social Insurance, 2011. | ||
Nationally, workers’ compensation benefits increased 0.4 percent to $58.3 billion. This change included both a 1.1 percent decrease in medical benefits and 1.9 percent increase in cash benefits. Employment of covered workers fell by 4.4 percent, while employer costs declined by 7.6 percent; both numbers represent the biggest percentage declines in over 20 years.
EXPERTS TO CONTACT:
|
Ishita Sengupta |
John F. Burton, Jr. |
Mark Mercier |
The National Academy of Social Insurance is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization made up of the nation’s leading experts on social insurance. Its mission is to promote understanding of how social insurance contributes to economic security and a vibrant economy.
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