Average long COVID worker’s compensation claim was $216k, research finds

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Many people are aware of the staggering costs that COVID-19 can have for employees, both emotionally and financially. In addition to the uncertainty of COVID-19, workers have to deal with changes in their day-to-day lives and concerns about how being out of work for long periods of time can limit their income. Worker’s compensation can be a key tool to mitigate some of these concerns – both for employees and employers. Now, a new NCCI analysis delves into the true costs of worker’s compensation, showing that costs for non-hospitalized long COVID patients can be nearly as high as hospitalized patients with traditional COVID.

Though the borders of what constitutes long COVID can be nebulous, the disease is generally characterized by COVID-19 symptoms which persist at least a month after initial infection. Symptoms of the disease can vary significantly between patients. Common symptoms include shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, hypertension, cough, fatigue, and other lung issues, according to the NCCI report. But for many patients, problems ranged across symptom groups, affecting their mood, endocrine system, and even their sleep.