Rand Report Says Benefit Levels, Complexity Undermine Comp in U.S.

A new report from Rand Corp. finds that benefit reductions, system complexity and a lack of access to quality health care are defeating the purpose of workers’ compensation systems across the country. But the report also found some innovative state programs that may improve outcomes for injured workers. The study, commissioned by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, echoes what many worker advocates and claimants’ attorneys have said for years: Indemnity and medical benefits have been whittled down in most parts of the country, while the claim-...