Report Looks at Long COVID Claims in California Workers’ Comp

Roughly 13% of COVID-19 claims with medical payments received treatments for long COVID symptoms in the workers’ compensation system, a new report shows.

The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California released an updated COVID-19 report, Medical Characteristics of COVID-19 Claims and Long COVID in the California Workers’ Compensation System.

Highlights of the report include:

• COVID-19 claims for accident years 2020 and 2021 share a similar mix of mild, hospital and death claims.
• Over a 12-month post-acute care period, roughly 13% of COVID-19 claims with medical payments received treatments for long COVID symptoms in the workers’ comp system
• The risks of long COVID were higher among female workers, workers over age 50 as well as those with comorbidities.
• Claims involving treatments for long COVID symptoms were four times more likely to receive permanent disability benefits compared to other COVID-19 claims without treatments for long COVID symptoms.

The full report is available in the Research section of the WCIRB website.