Texas breaks down COVID comp claims data

Nearly 25% of COVID-19 workers compensation claims in Texas that involved professional or hospital/facility services received these services beyond one-month post-injury, according to a  report released Tuesday by the Texas Department of Insurance.

As of May 1, insurers reported more than 83,000 COVID-19 claims and 448 fatalities to the Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation, with 51% of these claims and 55% of fatalities involving first responders and correctional officers, according to the report that compiled data from 74 insurers.

Sixty-six percent of all claims involved injured employees who tested positive or were diagnosed with COVID-19. Insurers accepted 58% of COVID-19 positive test claims.

Despite more than 21,000 denials of COVID-19 claims with positive tests or diagnoses, there were only 184 disputes filed with DWC as of May 1.
Thirty-five percent of COVID-19 claims filed had medical or indemnity benefit payments associated with them. Most of the benefits paid on COVID-19 claims were indemnity benefits, particularly employer salary continuation and temporary income benefits, compared with medical benefits, according to the report.