For back-related injuries and the most expensive claims overall, new study evidence suggests worker choice may heighten claim costs. (Photo: iStock)

Giving workers their choice of medical providers in workers’ compensation claims on average doesn’t impact costs either way — when looking across all injury types, according to a study released last week by the Workers Compensation Research Institute, The Effects of Provider Choice Policies on Workers’ Compensation Costs.

But for back-related injuries and the most expensive claims overall, the evidence suggests worker choice may drive up costs, the Cambridge, Mass.-based organization’s study concludes.

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Katie Kuehner-Hebert

Katie Kuehner-Hebert is a freelance writer based in Running Springs, Calif. She has more than three decades of journalism experience, with particular expertise in employee benefits and other human resource topics.

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