Access to medical care for occupational disorders: difficulties and disparities.
Despite state laws guaranteeing full insurance coverage for work-related disorders, many injured workers have difficulty obtaining access to appropriate medical care. Barriers to access arise because: patients are unable to prove that their conditions are caused occupationally; they are discouraged by employers from reporting occupational injuries; workers' compensation insurance carriers aggressively contest claims; and other reasons. Evidence suggests that minority subpopulations of workers are most affected. Overcoming these barriers will require a multifaceted approach involving regulatory oversight, participation of workers in the design of health plans and the selection of providers, and specific measures to detect and prohibit discriminatory care.
Dembe
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Department of Family Medicine, Center for Health Policy and Health Services Research, Shrewsbury, MA, USA. Allard.Dembe@unmassmed.edu
D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D012935:Social Justice; D014481:United States; D014942:Workers' Compensation