Hawai'i gets an 'F' on workers' comp system

By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer

Officials with the state Department of Labor hope the "F" grade Hawai'i has received for its workers' compensation system from a California-based group will spur reforms next legislative session.

The Work Loss Data Institute flunked Hawai'i for 2002 primarily because injured workers stayed out much longer than in other states. In Hawai'i, 22.6 percent of injured workers stayed off the job for more than 30 days.

Three years ago, Hawai'i received a "D" rating for 2000 from the organization.

The "State Report Cards for Workers' Compensation 2004" grades systems in all 50 states, Guam, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico based on six indicators of ability to get injured workers back on the job: incidence rates, cases missing work, median disability durations, delayed recovery rate, key conditions for low back strain, and key conditions for carpel tunnel syndrome.

"Hawai'i did not do so well; their results have gone from bad to worse ..." the report card said.

"Hawai'i does not employ major common managed care strategies and they do have their own treatment guidelines, but they do not use evidence based national guidelines."

Hawai'i joined New York, Delaware, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, West Virginia and Wyoming in receiving "F's." Nine states got "A's," including Alabama, designated the "most improved" state.

Labor officials hope the poor rating will renew efforts to reform the system. "For the Labor Department," said spokesman James Hardway, "workers compensation reform is our No. 1 priority to try to reduce costs for the State of Hawai'i."

Reach Dan Nakaso at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8085.