RAND Report Finds Stable Access to Medical Care for Most Injured Workers, but Flags Regional Gaps in California's Workers' Compensation System
核心洞察
A RAND study funded by California's DIR and DWC found access to medical care remained largely stable for most injured workers from 2017 through 2024.
Travel distances to receive care increased in rural and suburban areas, while provider participation was lower than expected in the Inland Empire and Los Angeles.
The report is the first of four annual studies establishing a baseline to track injured workers' access to care and the factors influencing it.
The Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) and its Division of Workers' Compensation (搜索) (DWC) released a RAND research report examining injured workers' access to medical care and provider participation in California's workers' compensation system. DIR funded the study, which was conducted as required by Labor Code section 5307.2.
The report is the first in a series of four annual RAND studies that will track injured workers' access to medical care and the factors influencing it, establishing a baseline for ongoing monitoring.
Study Scope and Methodology
Using medical billing and injury-report data from 2017 through 2024, the study examined several key areas, including the timeliness of care and distances traveled to receive care, and how these measures vary across regions of the state. The analysis also assessed whether the supply of providers participating in workers' compensation has kept pace with demand and with provider availability in the general health care system.
Researchers further evaluated differences in provider participation by specialty, provider type, and geographic region, as well as the adoption of telehealth and its association with access to care, particularly behavioral health care.
Key Findings
The report found that access to care remained largely stable for most injured workers in recent years, although travel distances increased in rural and suburban areas. It also identified regions, including the Inland Empire and Los Angeles, where provider participation in workers' compensation was lower than expected.
Policy Context
The California Department of Industrial Relations (搜索)' Division of Workers' Compensation (搜索) monitors the administration of workers' compensation claims and provides administrative and judicial services to help resolve disputes related to claims for workers' compensation benefits.