A study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute shows that although the cost to treat injured Louisianans stayed about the same in 2012, the workers' compensation medical costs per claim was higher compared to similar costs in a large number of states.
The study found medical payments per claim in Louisiana stayed about the same between 2011 and 2012, but "grew faster than most states" from 2007 to 2011, according to the news release.
Researchers attributed the letup between 2011 and 2012 to less hospital outpatient payments per service, less visits per claim for hospital and nonhospital and "stable hospital payments per inpatient episode."
Growth from 2007-2011 is largely attributed to increasing hospital outpatient payments per claim, according to the news release.
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