The Health and Welfare Effects of Increases in Workers’ Compensation Benefits
利用纽约州工伤赔偿改革带来的周赔偿金增加，研究发现每周多领77美元导致工人多休3.4天病假，但医疗使用未增加，且每多休一天再受伤概率降低2.9%。当前赔偿水平接近最优。
This paper estimates the causal impacts of workers’ compensation income benefits on workers’ health and welfare outcomes. Using claims data from 2004 to 2016, I explore the variation in benefits due to a reform of New York workers’ compensation that increased the maximum weekly benefits. I find that a $77 increase in the weekly benefits led to an additional 3.4 days off work. Medical utilization did not increase. Each extra day off work decreased the reinjury likelihood by 2.9%. The current benefit level in New York is close to optimal in balancing payer cost and worker health outcomes.