Florida

Florida Saw Jump in Workers' Comp Cost per Claim in 2022-23, WCRI Report Shows

Published

7 months ago

May 6, 2024

Florida Saw Jump in Workers' Comp Cost per Claim in 2022-23, WCRI Report Shows

Call it the effects of wage creep during the pandemic, along with a little bit of creep in the duration of benefits.

Employers and insurers in Florida saw a 7% increase in total cost per workers’ compensation claim in 2022 and 2023, to just over $30,000 on average, due largely to higher wages and longer temporary disability benefits duration. That was the finding of an analysis by the Workers Compensation Research Institute, which compared COVID-19 pandemic-era costs in Florida and 16 other states.

“The large indemnity growth in 2022 was mainly driven by increases in the average preinjury weekly wage of workers with injuries and duration of temporary disability. In particular, wages in Florida grew 9.5 percent in 2022, faster than the increases in prior years,” notes the report, authored by WCRI researcher Rebecca Yang. Other study states saw similar cost increases.

The work echoed other studies that have found that as employers rebounded from the pandemic shutdowns, they were forced to pay higher wages to attract workers. That led to higher payrolls and higher weekly benefits for injured employees.

The trend was highlighted late last year when the Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation raised the 2024 maximum weekly indemnity benefit to reflect the big jump in average weekly wages. The average wage rose from $1,099 in 2021 to $1,260 in 2023 – a 15% increase. That much of an increase had not been since the high-inflation days of 1980, which saw a 20% spike in wages from two years earlier.

Click on the chart for an enlarged image.

The reasons for a half-week increase in temporary disability benefits duration were also related to the economic realities of the pandemic. In many states, including Florida, TD duration increased in 2020, declined or remained stable in 2021, then increased again in 2022. High unemployment early in the COVID era may have kept some injured workers out of a job, leading to longer injury or benefits duration times, the WCRI report said.

Later, as employment rose nationwide, “the tight labor markets and the potential workforce shortages associated with this reality may have led to longer working hours and worse overall health among current employees.”

The study underscored what other analyses have found – that many employers were forced to hire less-experienced workers in 2022, which may have led to higher injury rates in some job classifications. Post-pandemic, employers have seen an increase in comorbidities for workers. Some employees may have had problems accessing medical care due to a shortage of health care professionals, the study said.

“These factors may have led to more severe injuries, prolonged recovery, and slower return to work,” the report noted.

The analysis found that duration of temporary disability in Florida increased in 2022 in most industry groups and across age groups with workers aged 35 and above at the time of injury. The report can be accessed here.

It’s too soon to know if the higher costs will put pressure on workers’ compensation rates in Florida. The state, like most others, has seen a steady drop in comp rates over the last two decades. Late last year, Florida regulators approved a 15% average decrease in rates.

WCRI also found that medical payments per claim have remained stable in recent years, in contrast to a 5% per-year increase in the years from 2017 to 2019. Part of the stability was due to a drop in the utilization of medical services at ambulatory surgery centers and other non-hospital providers, the report noted.

That cost stability could be positively impacted, at least to some degree, by new Florida limits on emergency room costs. Florida Gov. last week signed House Bill 989, which, among other changes, clarifies that emergency care, except those procedures subject to the maximum reimbursement allowance, must be set at 250% of Medicare’s rates, unless governed by a contract.

The “agency bill,” which addresses a wide range of issues identified by the Florida Department of Financial Services, also requires DFS to work with actuarial firms to develop maximum reimbursement allowances for emergency services.

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Florida

Florida deputy fatally shot during traffic stop; suspect shot dead by deputies

Published

8 hours ago

December 16, 2024

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Florida deputy fatally shot during traffic stop; suspect shot dead by deputies

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. – The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office is mourning a deputy who was killed in the line of duty over the weekend.

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Authorities said Deputy Corporal Elio Diaz was shot during a traffic stop in Charlotte Harbor on Sunday.

He was an 11-year veteran of the agency.

According to the sheriff’s office, Diaz attempted to pull over the suspect outside a gas station when the man behind the wheel, identified as Andrew Mostyn Jr., pulled out a rifle and shot Diaz, killing him.

Mostyn then left the scene, authorities said.

Deputies said he was found shortly after in the parking lot of a nearby restaurant.

When deputies approached him, they say Mostyn tried to grab his rifle again.

That’s when deputies say they were forced to fire at Mostyn, shooting him dead.

“Elio was a friend,” Sheriff Bill Prummell said, taking a pause as he became emotional. “He was a good family man. He loved his children, and he was a really great cop. And he’s going to be missed.”

Word of Diaz’s passing reached U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, who expressed his condolences on X, formerly Twitter.

“Devastated to hear of the passing of a Charlotte County deputy tonight,” he wrote Sunday. “I spoke with @CCSOFLSheriff Prummell to let him know Ann and I are praying for his team and the deputy’s family tonight. Please keep them in your prayers.”

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Florida

Florida deputy shot, killed during traffic stop

Published

15 hours ago

December 16, 2024

Press Room

Florida deputy shot, killed during traffic stop

CHARLOTTE HARBOR, Fla. – The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office is mourning the loss of one of its deputies.

It happened during a traffic stop at a gas station on Sunday.

Authorities say Corporal Elio Diaz pulled over a white pickup truck and the driver, Andrew Moyston Jr., 24, opened fire.

Diaz was taken to an area hospital where he died.

Corporal Elio Diaz was shot and killed during a traffic stop on Sunday. Image is courtesy of Courtesy: Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.

“I want you guys to please keep Elio’s family in your thoughts and prayers, especially during this time of year,” Sheriff Bill Pummell said during a press conference on Sunday night. “Elio was a friend and a good family man. He loved his children and he was a really great cop.”

After the shooting, deputies went on a manhunt for the suspect.

He was located at a Popeye’s restaurant on King’s Highway.

Officials say the suspect shot and killed Corpora Diaz after the deputy pulled him over.

Officials say he grabbed a rifle as deputies approached, and they opened fire, hitting Moyston in the head.

Moyston Jr. was flown to an area hospital and died.

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Tulane Green Wave Can’t Overcome Early Deficit in Loss Against Florida State

Published

23 hours ago

December 15, 2024

Press Room

Tulane Green Wave Can’t Overcome Early Deficit in Loss Against Florida State

This basketball season is going to be an interesting one for Tulane.

With so many new faces and inexperience players that head coach Ron Hunter has to navigate, there are going to be ebbs and flows depending on how they’re able to execute on any given night.

After a prolonged stretch of playing against mid-major and lower-tier programs, this Green Wave group was going to face a tough test when they matched up with ACC foe Florida State.

This was a chance for Tulane to make a statement, but after they got down early, they couldn’t overcome that deficit and eventually lost, 77-64.

The Green Wave were ready to play from the opening tip by jumping out to a quick 6-0 lead, but that period was the only time they held the lead after the Seminoles snatched if from them just under five minutes into the contest.

With 6:52 left in the first half, Florida State had run their newfound lead up to 14 points and extended that into the locker room with the score being, 37-22.

Tulane played much better in the second half, actually winning that period, 42-40, but they ultimately never threated Florida State since that early lead was too much to overcome.

It might be a frustrating result for the Green Wave since they had broken their four-game losing streak on Dec. 10 by throttling Southern Miss, but there was still some positives to take away for Hunter and his young team.

Most notably, Kaleb Banks continues to showcase his skill set.

He finished with a career-high 33 points and 16 rebounds. He went 11-of-20 from the field and 10-of-13 from the free throw line to hit this number.

Unfortunately, the only other player to join him in double-figures was Rowan Brumbaugh who had 15.

Still, for the Green Wave to respond to a tough first half by actually winning the second is a good sign going forward.

Hopefully they can build upon this effort against Florida State and carry it with them going forward.

Tulane faces local New Orleans school Dillard University in their final non-conference game of the season on Dec. 20.

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