When a health care worker is injured on the job, Workers’ Compensation insurance ensures he or she receives medical care and compensation for a portion of the income the employee loses while unable to return to work. It also usually protects employers from lawsuits by employees injured while working.
Each state determines the amount of benefits to which an employee is entitled, what impairments and injuries are covered, how impairments are to be evaluated, and how medical care is to be administered. Furthermore, states determine whether Workers’ Compensation insurance is provided by state-run agencies and private insurance carriers or solely by the state. States also determine how claims will be processed and how disputes will be addressed, and they may design ways to manage expenses, such as limiting certain types of care.
Income replacement compensation is determined based on whether the handicap is total or partial, permanent or temporary. Most states require benefits to be paid for the duration of the impairment, but some, particularly for transitory disabilities, stipulate a maximum number of weeks. The amount of the benefit is calculated as a percentage of the worker’s weekly wage (actual).1
How Workers’ Compensation Premiums Are Determined
Workers’ Compensation premiums are determined based on several factors that assess the risk associated with providing coverage for a particular employer. These include industry classification, as different industries have varying levels of risk; payroll (calculated as a rate per $100 of payroll); the employer’s experience modification factor, which is a reflection of its historical claims experience compared to similar businesses; location; job classifications (jobs with higher injury risks typically have higher premiums); and claims history.
Common On-the-Job Injuries for Home Health Care Workers
The most common types of injuries for home health care workers include musculoskeletal issues due to consistent lifting and transferring of patients. These tasks can lead to strains, sprains, and overexertion. Home health care workers also encounter various hazards in clients’ homes that include uneven surfaces, wet floors, or clutter, which can cause injuries from slips, trips, and falls.
Home health care workers who administer injections or handle medical equipment may be at risk of needlestick injuries, which can exposure them to bloodborne pathogens. They may come into contact with clients who have infectious diseases. Exposure can occur through contact with bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces.
Individuals who travel to different locations may be at risk of automobile accidents while commuting or driving between the homes of their patients.
In a follow-up article, we’ll review safety measures to help mitigate accidents and injuries for home health care workers.
About One80 Intermediaries/Manchester Specialty
Manchester Specialty, a division of One80 Intermediaries, is a national specialty underwriting and insurance program management firm, licensed to do business as a program administrator in all 50 states and D.C. Our agent/broker partners and their Allied Health clients look to us for our expertise, broad product capability, commitment to the market, and the quality and stability of our insurance programs for Home Care, Medical Staffing, Allied Health, and Human Services organizations. For more information, call us toll-free at 1-855-972-9399 or visit Allied Health Firms – One80 Intermediaries.