Obamacare could shift hundreds of millions in claims to workers' comp insurers

San Fransisco Business Times ^ | September 30, 2015 | By Chris Rauber

[Brad from Tennessee]

"Hundreds of millions of dollars" in insurance claims nationally, and possibly far more, could shift from health insurers to workers' comp carriers due to Obamacare, according to a new study.

In California alone, a 3 percent shift of cases involving so-called "soft tissue conditions," such as non-specific back pain, from group health insurers to workers' compensation carriers could result in a $250 million increase in Golden State workers' comp costs, the report said.

In Pennsylvania, a similarly small shift of back-pain cases would increase workers' comp costs by nearly $100 million, according to a study released Tuesday by the Cambridge, Mass.-based Workers Compensation Research Institute.

Such "case shifting" from health insurers to workers' comp carriers could be a "significant under-appreciated effect" of Obamacare, the group said. That's especially true in states like California, Massachusetts, New York, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Oregon, where 28 percent or more workers are enrolled in HMO plans. . .

[Smokin' Joe]

Which would shift the cost of grifters (and the really injured back onto employers...)

Which gives them even more incentive to hire people off the books. (like illegals).

[nikos1121]

I treat back pain, one of the few things I enjoy and am actually good at. Back pain is essentially NOT work related. Most is a derangement of the disc which can occur spontaneously. The ones that are clearly work related occur when someone is struck in the back.

I believe, CA has a 1% WC law whereby if 1% is aggravated by work then it’s work related. Work related neurosis is apparently accepted there.

So, in short the cost will be passed on to the consumer. WC lawyers will be the ones making the money. Unnecessary surgeries will be performed because the etiology will not be in question, therefore more imaging studies which show up to 40% abnormalities in normal painfree people, will be performed.

In CA you already have a large number of immigrants receiving WC benefits. So, you might indeed see an increase in illegals

[G Larry]

Obama will take every opportunity to wring the last cent from the American taxpayer, for as far into the future as possible.

Whatever he can do to destroy America and protect AGAINST our rise from the ashes.

[Buckeye McFrog]

...causing those rates to skyrocket and creating a new business lobby in favor of Single Payer.

All according to plan.

[wildbill]

A Workmens Comp claim for back pain generally has to be the result of a discrete event—and some states require it to be reported within a specific period of time.

Nevertheless, claims for back pain injuries are among the most common causes of insurance fraud.

[CottonBall]

I don’t get the connection between Obamacare and worker’s comp though....