The AMA Guides Digital Connection to Workers Compensation

                               

MEDIA ADVISORY

The AMA Guides Digital Connection to Workers Compensation

 

WHAT: The American Medical Association (AMA) has gone digital with its updates to the sixth edition of the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA Guides). This article examines the potential impact of recent updates on workers compensation (WC) indemnity costs.

The AMA Guides are the most widely used basis for determining impairment ratings in state WC systems. The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) monitors updates to the AMA Guides that may impact WC costs.

KEY INSIGHTS:

  • Overall, a state’s adoption of the 2021 updates may impact overall WC system costs, although both the direction and magnitude of the potential impacts are uncertain.
  • The 2022 updates are not expected to impact WC indemnity costs.
  • Going forward, the AMA Guides, Sixth Edition, is expected to have annual electronic updates. These updates will not impact prior editions of the AMA Guides.

WHO: Bruce Spidell, FCAS, MAAA, AIAF, ARC, CCP, Assistant Actuary; and Jorge Martin, Actuarial Consultant, coauthored this report.

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