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English

Closing the Gates? Evidence from a Natural Experiment on Physicians’ Sickness Certification

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Forfattere:

Markussen, Simen

År:

2009

Referanse:

Memorandum
Nummer i serie: 19

Sammendrag (engelsk)

This paper exploits a Norwegian physician directed reform aimed to reduce sick-leave. Physicians were required to consider part-time sick-leave as the default treatment and – in the case of long lasting full-time sick-leave – to file a report documenting why the worker was unable to perform any work related activities. The reform had a large impact, reducing sick-leave by 18.8 percent. The main effect came from reduced spell duration – which can be directly linked to the extended documentation requirement laid on physicians within the first 8 weeks of a sick-leave spell. Physician-directed policies may be an (cost-) effective way of reducing sick-leave.

Nøkkelord:

Labor market policies, sick-leave, physicians’ gate keeping

JEL:

H53, I18, J28

Prosjekt info:

Oppdragsgiver: Norges forskningsråd
Oppdragsgivers prosjektnr.:
Frisch prosjekt: 1134 - En levedyktig velferdsstat

Oppdragsgiver: Norges forskningsråd
Oppdragsgivers prosjektnr.: 187924
Frisch prosjekt: 4132 - Sykefravær i Norge - Årsaker, konsekvenser og politikkimplikasjoner