Q3 – 2025 – September 24, 2025
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Research Recent Changes in The Distribution of WC Rx Drug Dollars. The latest update to CWCI’s Rx Drug App has data on Calif WC Rx drugs filled between Jan 2010-Dec 2024 and reveals a shifting mix of Rx drug payments over the past decade for the top 10 drug groups These 10 groups accounted for 77.6% of 2024’s total drug spend, up slightly from 76.4% in 2023 but down from 79.8% in 2016. The distribution of payments among the top groups has shifted as opioid’s share of the dollars has dropped from 20.6% in 2015 (1st among all drug groups) to 4.5% in 2024 (7th among all drug groups). Meanwhile, dermatologicals’ share increased from 12.6% in 2015 to 20.3% in 2023 before it fell back to 19.7% last year. NSAID’s share of the drug spend fell from 17.6% in 2015 to 13.1% in 2018, but after the Opioid & Pain Mgt Guidelines were adopted and the formulary took effect, utilization and payments for NSAIDs jumped as they were increasingly used to treat pain, and they became the costliest drug group during the pandemic, peaking at 25.3% of the Rx dollars in 2021. Over the past 2 years dermatologicals surpassed anti-inflammatories to again become the costliest drug group in 2023 and 2024. Among other notable shifts over the past decade: anticonvulsants’ share of the drug spend grew from 7.0% in 2015 to a peak of 14.4% in 2018, but w/the 2019 approval of generic pregabalin (Lyrica), their share of the total drug spend fell to 14.1% in 2019 and 10.2% in 2020, then leveled off over the past 4 years, ranging between 7.2% and 8.1%. Migraine drugs continue to be used sparingly in WC, ranking 12th among all drug groups in 2024 w/0.8% of the prescriptions (up from 0.2% as recently as 2018), but they are now the 4th costliest drug group as the avg payment per migraine drug Rx has climbed to $744 following the introduction of several high-cost, heavily marketed brand drugs. This pushed their share of the drug spend from 0.5% in 2018 to 7.0% in 2024, so they now rank ahead of ulcer drugs, musculoskeletal drugs, and opioids in terms of Rx dollars. The steady growth in psychotherapeutic & neurological drug payments is also evident as their share of the drug spend went from 0.6% in 2015 to 3.7% in 2024, while anticoagulants share also jumped, climbing from 0.4% to 2.7%. Executive Briefing (9/29/25) (members only) Functional Restoration Programs in the California Workers’ Compensation System. CWCI research identifies the characteristics of injured workers approved for FRPs and how these programs have been implemented in California workers’ comp. The analysis utilized a sample of 635 indemnity claims that involved FRPs compiled from the UR systems of 6 insurers and used demographic, bill review, and medical management data to compare the FRP claims to a sample of non-FRP indemnity claims to determine how they differ in terms of claim characteristics, geographic region, and clinical conditions. For its assessment of FRP vs. non-FRP treatment costs, TD duration, and claim duration, the FRP claims were also compared to a matched sample of non-FRP indemnity claims that had similar clinical, demographic, and claim characteristics. The report evaluated whether participants in the study population met the eligibility criteria outlined in the MTUS guidelines, how services were delivered in practice, and the extent to which delivery aligned with MTUS recommendations; analyzed FRP utilization and cost patterns compared to conventional pain management and compared medical costs and claim durations of the FRP and matched non-FRP claims. Executive Briefing (9/29/25) (members only) Bulletin (9/14/25) (members only) Report to the Industry (9/14/25) (members only) News Release (9/15/25) (public) IMR Update Through Q2 2025. A series of 10 exhibits detailing CWCI’s latest update on the dispute resolution process in California workers’ compensation and IMR activity and outcomes from 2015 through the second quarter of 2025. The results show IMR determination letter volume was up 12.4% in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the total from the second quarter of 2024, the median time from the application date to the determination letter date fell from 32 days in 2024 to 30 days in the second quarter of 2025, the IMR uphold rate rose from 88.0% in 2024 to 89.6% in Q2 2025, and prescription drugs continued to account for more IMR disputes than any other type of medical service, though prescription drug requests share of the IMR decisions continued to decline, falling to a 10-year low of 30.8%. Detailed Statistics (9/19/25) (members only) Introduction to CWCI’s Cumulative Trauma Claim Interactive Research Application. As a corollary to CWCI’s ongoing research on CT claims, the Institute developed an interactive research application that members can use to examine CT claim trends in California and to build customized views of CT claim data, which is presented in a series of seven data dashboards. The app was accompanied by an Interactive Research Report which provides an introduction and users guide to the app, offering details on how to access it, the data and methods used to develop it, and the content of each dashboard, including screenshots and descriptions of the various metrics and filters that are available. Interactive Data App Update (9/2/25) (members only) Executive Briefing (8/28/25) (members only) Executive Memo (8/21/25) (members only) Interactive Research Report (8/21/25) (members only) CWCI’s Claim Characteristics and Trends Interactive App. CWCI’s systemwide app with data on all insured and self-insured claims reported to the DWC’s Workers’ Compensation Information System (WCIS) as of 6/18/25. Featuring data from AY 2018 forward, the app shows overall trends and claim distributions by region, industry, and injury characteristics and allows users to track the number of reported and projected claims by year, by quarter and year, or by month and year. Filters can be used to view results for combinations of insured and self-insured claims, by claim type, industry, region, injury description, reporting timeliness, and COVID status. Interactive Data App Update (8/28/25) (members only) The MTUS Formulary Interactive App, an update to CWCI’s handy reference tool that shows the breakdown of medications within each version of the MTUS Prescription Drug Formulary by formulary category: Exempt, Non-Exempt, Not Listed; Special Fill, and Perioperative drugs. CWCI members can identify which drugs were added to or dropped from the formulary and when; easily find where approximately 100 therapeutic drug groups and hundreds of specific drugs have been categorized; track changes in prescription and payment distributions among the formulary categories beginning with pre-formulary years (CY 2016 and 2017) and extending into the post-formulary years beginning with CY 2018; find the average wholesale price (AWP) and the average amount paid for specific drugs (by drug ingredient) over time; and view lists of the top 20 drugs by formulary category, broken out either by calendar year or by formulary version. Interactive Data App Update (8/21/25) (members only) Quarterly Experience Report for Q1 2024. CWCI’s summary of the WCIRB latest Quarterly Experience Report noted that Calif WC direct written premium gross of deductible credits fell to $4.1 billion in the first three months of this year, 4 percent less than in the first quarter of 2024, while total DWP for all of calendar year (CY) 2024 was $15.6 billion, about $400 million below the CY 2023 total. The summary of loss and premium experience reflects data valued through March 2025, based on amounts reported to the Rating Bureau by all WC insurers in California. Over the past decade, total DWP in the system has fluctuated, trending down from a peak of $18.1 billion in CY 2016 to $13.8 billion in CY 2021, then climbing to $15.7 billion in 2022 and $16.0 billion in 2023, spurred by the rapid growth in employment and covered payroll as the state’s economy rebounded from the short, pandemic-driven recession. The updated data show that last year aggregate premium fell for the first time since 2021, declining 2.5 percent to $15.6 billion, while the decline in DWP in the first quarter of this year from the same period last year shows the recent downturn continued in the first three months of this year, suggesting that total DWP could be on track for another decline in 2025. After peaking at $3.19 per $100 of covered payroll in 2014, the average rate charged by Calif WC insurers declined steadily before leveling off at a historic low of $1.60 per $100 of payroll in 2023 and 2024. Bulletin (8/13/25) (members only) Major Surgeries Trending Down. Claims involving major surgery (e.g., complex spinal surgery, joint replacement, limb reattachments) can be among the costliest WC claims. However, the recent update to CWCI’s Medical Services Interactive App, which contains IRIS data on insured and S-I indemnity claims w/initial treatment dates from 2016 through 2024 valued at the end of last year, shows that over that 9-year span there has been a steady decline in major surgeries at all levels of claim development. The table below not only shows the declining proportion of indemnity claims that involved major surgeries at different points within the life of the claim (e.g., the percentage of indemnity claims w/a major surgery at 3 months fell from 12.7% in 2016 to 7.6% in 2024), it also indicates that in the vast majority of claims that involve a major surgery, at least one surgery occurred in the first year of treatment (e.g., 18.1% if all indemnity clams from initial service year 2021 had a major surgery w/in 12 months of the first medical visit, while at the 36- month benchmark, that percentage only increased by 3.4 percentage points to 21.5%. CWCI’s Medical Services App allows members to monitor utilization and payment trends for 13 medical service categories at 6 levels of development and across key claim characteristics. Results can be shown for all diagnostic categories or any of 17 diagnostic categories; for open or closed claims (or both); for all claims or just indemnity claims; for claims w/ and/or w/o attorneys); for all claims or just insured claims; for surgical and/or non-surgical claims; by level of opioid use; by industry; and by region. The App is one of 6 online, interactive apps that feature current data from our IRIS database (data on claims valued as of Dec. 31, 2024), and in the case of our Claim Characteristics and Trends App, WCIS data on claims from AY 2018 – May 2025, as reported to the DWC as of June 18, 2025. CWCI members who log on to www.cwci.org will find these apps under the Research tab on our home page (see our July 14 Executive Memo). Executive Briefing (7/23/25) (members only) CWCI Posts Updates to Interactive Applications: An alert to CWCI members that the Institute had updated six of its online applications which are available to CWCI member employees. The apps were updated to include data on claims valued as of December 31, 2024), and in the case of our Claim Characteristics and Trends App, WCIS data on claims from AY 2018 through May 2025, as reported to the DWC as of June 18, 2025. In addition to the Claim Characteristics and Trends App, updates were made to the Loss Development App, the Regional Scorecard App, the Medical Services App, the Prescription Drug App, and the MTUS Formulary Interactive App. Executive Memo (7/14/25) (members only) SB 632: Evaluating The Proposed California WC Rebuttable Presumptions For Hospital Workers. A CWCI Legislative Impact Report looks at the issues surrounding SB 632, a bill that would give California acute care hospital workers a presumption of compensability for nine categories of injuries. The report shows the percentage of hospital worker injuries that involve the injuries and illnesses that would be covered by presumptions; compares the distribution of the proposed presumptive claims by injury type for hospital workers vs. the general workforce; and notes the hospital worker and general workforce denial rates for hospital worker and general workforce claims involving those injuries. The analysis determined that hospitals and the general workforce have similar injury distributions, except for COVID-19 claims, where hospital workers were covered by a presumption during the pandemic. This, combined with nearly identical claim denial rates for hospital worker and general workforce claims involving injuries covered by SB 632, showed a lack of evidence supporting the need for a presumption, especially given that it would open the door to private sector presumptions. Legislative Analysis (7/8/25) (public) Bulletin (7/8/25) (members only) News Release (7/8/25) (public) CWCI’s Loss Development Interactive App. The latest update to the Institute’s online data application allows members to examine industrywide trends for average paid indemnity, average paid medical, and combined medical and indemnity payments for claims from AY 2009 through AY 2024, at nine development periods ranging from 3 to 72 months, with results available for all claims or just indemnity claims. The application can be used to calculate the percentage changes in average payments for each metric across accident years; obtain data for a region or an industry; and view regional differences displayed on heat maps. The paid medical loss data can be broken out to show average payments for Treatment, Pharmacy, Medical Cost Containment, Med-Legal Services, and Other Medical. Interactive Data App Update (7/8/25) (members only) The Regional Scorecard App. New data from CWCI’s IRIS database on AY 2011-2024 claims valued as of December 31, 2024. Members can view regional and statewide data on 19 metrics, compare results from 7 regions, and identify regional and statewide trends. The app shows average medical, indemnity and other payments (with breakdowns of average TD and PD, ALAE), as well as data on demographics, claim status (percent closed, percent with an attorney, percent with TD payments, and percent with PD payments), and claim volume. Members may also use filters to view results by injury year, by industry, and for insured and self-insured claims or just insured claims. Interactive Data App Update (7/8/25) (members only) The Medical Services Interactive App. Medical service data for claims with 2016-2024 initial treatment dates, valued as of 12/31/24. The app allows CWCI members to monitor utilization and payment trends for 13 medical service categories at 6 levels of development, and across key claim characteristics. Data can be broken out for all diagnostic categories or any of 17 specific diagnostic categories; for open or closed claims (or both); for all claims or indemnity claims; for claims with and without attorneys (or both); for insured and self-insured claims or just insured claims; for surgical and non-surgical claims (or both); by level of opioid use; by industry; and by region. Interactive Data App Update (7/8/25) (members only) The Prescription Drug App. New data from the IRIS database to help CWCI members identify trends and compare industrywide data on prescriptions filled between January 2010 and December 2024. Claim level data allows members to examine prescription drug utilization by accident year at 6 levels of development, and service-level data allows them to look at drugs dispensed during the 15-year period ending in December 2024. Dashboards allow users to build custom views of statewide or regional pharmaceutical data for all claims or indemnity claims, and global selection settings and drop down menus allow them to see results at different levels of development; for open and/or closed claims; for specific drug groups; for generic and/or brand drugs; by opioid drug name; by industry; and for specific accident or service years. As members choose from a menu of different metrics, tables and charts automatically display the results, with regional data provided in color-coded heat maps. Interactive Data App Update (7/8/25) (members only) CWCI Analysis of Private Self-Insured Data, 2009-2024. CWCI’s review of OSIP data found that the number of private self-insured employees in Calif fell 3.9% in 2024, while the number of job injury claims by those workers fell 7.4%, so private self-insured claim frequency hit a 4-year low, but 1st report total paid and incurred losses both increased as the avg paid loss per claim rose 12.3% and the avg incurred loss jumped 16.8%. Based on data from OSIP’s initial summary of private self-insured data, the analysis noted that private self-insured employers in Calif covered 2.25 million employees last year, down 3.9% from the nearly 2.34 million employees noted in the first report on 2023 claims. The decline in the workforce partially explains the decline in claim volume, as private S-I employers reported 87,360 claims in 2024, which was 7,026 (7.4%) fewer than in the 2023 1st report. The year-to-year decline in the covered workforce, paired with the even steeper decline in claim volume, pushed private S-I total claim frequency rate down to 3.88 claims (2.01 medical-only + 1.87 indemnity) per 100 employees, which was down from 4.03 claims per 100 employees in 2022 and the lowest rate since 2020. Even with 91,460 fewer private self-insured employees in the initial report for 2024, private self-insured wages and salaries totaled nearly $150.8 billion, which was up 6.6% from the $141.5 billion reported in the 2023 first report. The decline in private self-insured claims in 2024 marked the 2nd year in a row that total claim volume declined, with the latest claim count representing a 16.2% drop from the 2022 peak, when there were still thousands of COVID-19 claims contributing to the 104,278 first report claim count. Both med-only and indemnity claims have declined since then, with med-only claims down 13.6% and indemnity claims down 18.8%. Bulletin (7/1/25) (members only) News Release (7/1/25) (public)
Statutory/Regulatory Member Alert: Civil Penalties for MMSEA 111 Reporting Noncompliance Set to Take Effect. A heads up to members: As of 10/11/25, failure to comply w/the claim reporting requirements under Section 111 of the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 (MMSEA 111) may result in civil penalties. While this doesn’t change the existing federal False Claims Act liability risk for causing Medicare to overpay claims due to MMSEA 111 reporting errors, the new civil penalties for noncompliance represent a new risk for Responsible Reporting Entities (RREs), including WC insurers, S-I entities, and TPAs, who should review their internal compliance procedures to make sure their required record submissions are timely and accurate and update any records that are out of compliance as soon as possible. RREs should also document any good faith efforts to obtain necessary information from beneficiaries and be prepared to respond to MMSEA 111 audits next year.Executive Memo (12/19/24) (members only) Executive Briefing (9/29/25) (members only) WC Bills Awaiting Action by the Governor. Several bills that could impact were passed by state lawmakers and sent Gov. Newsom who has until 10/12/25 to act upon them. They include:
CWCI will issue our annual summary of enacted legislation after the deadline for signing bills expires. Executive Briefing (9/29/25) (members only) MTUS Updates. The DWC announced in August that it plans to incorporate 4 recently updated ACOEM treatment guidelines into the MTUS, specifically the evidence-based shoulder disorder, elbow disorder and hand, wrist and forearm disorder guidelines, all of which ACOEM updated on July 14, and the traumatic brain injury guideline which was updated June 26. The shoulder and lower arm guidelines were last updated in 2023; the elbow guide was last updated in 2018; and the TBI guideline was last updated in 2017. DWC will hold an electronic hearing electronic hearing at 10 a.m. Sept. 26. Comments can be submitted through the close of business that day. For more details click here. Executive Briefing (8/28/25) (members only) FDA Approves Ketamine Drug. In August the FDA approved a ketamine drug, (KETARx, PharmaTher) for treatment of post-surgical pain. The FDA previously issued a pair of complete response letters for the application in 2024, citing new and updated information as well as clarifications related to drug substance, drug product, manufacturing and microbiology. The approval is the latest in the emerging trend of using ketamine for mental health, neurological, and pain disorders, including depression, Parkinson’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; and for rare or chronic pain management, including complex regional pain syndrome. KETARx has already received an orphan drug designation for the treatment of Rett syndrome. In announcing to the approval of the drug for post-surgical pain management, the company noted that among psychedelic and “psychedelic-adjacent” drugs, ketamine is the only one on a World Health Organization list of Essential Medicines. The company first announced that the FDA had set an approval goal of April 2024 for KETARx but after “minor deficiencies identified by Quality” were identified, the FDA assigned a new target date of October 2024. At the time, Medscape.com reported that the FDA had issued a complete response letter requesting additional information on the application. However, PharmaTher was not required to conduct new trials, so a final approval was set for this month after the company submitted the requested additional information as there were no additional questions or concerns about the stability of the drug batches submitted. Ketamine is not widely used in WC, but it is listed in the MTUS Formulary as a non-exempt Antidepressant drug. CWCI will continue to monitor it. Executive Briefing (8/28/25) (members only) OAL Rejects UR and IMR Regs. The Office of Administrative Law rejected proposed changes to Utilization Review (UR) and Independent Medical Review (IMR) regs submitted by the DWC on June 6. The proposed regs included changes to primary treating physician reporting duties; IMR procedures; procedures for investigating UR violations; and procedures for changing a PTP. In addition, the proposal called for additional penalties for UR and IMR violations. In rejecting the proposed changes, OAL cited DWC’s failure to comply with the clarity standard of Government Code §11349.1(a)(3), and for incorrect procedure, as detailed in the Disapproval Decision. Under Govt Code §11349.4(a), DWC has 120 days to revise the proposal to address the issues identified by OAL and resubmit the proposed regs, which the Division plans to do. Once the changes are made, DWC will issue the revised regs in a DWC Newsline. The revised regs will be subject to a new public comment period, but the Division plans to resubmit the regs in time to meet the originally requested effective date of Jan 1, 2026. Executive Memo (8/1/25) (members only) Hospital Presumption Bill Update. In early July CWCI published an analysis of SB 632, a bill that would grant workers who provide direct care to patients in acute care hospitals presumptions for a laundry list of injuries and illnesses ranging from musculoskeletal injuries to cancer. Presumptions are usually reserved for public safety officers for whom hazard abatement is difficult if: 1) the injury rate for the covered workers is much higher than for the general workforce; and 2) there is a high denial rate for those claims; so CWCI’s analysis used data from our IRIS database to measure the percentage of WC claims by hospital workers that involved injuries covered by SB 632, then compared those results to the percentage of claims from the general workforce that involved those injuries. The Institute then determined the distribution of claims by injury category and calculated claim denial rates for the hospital worker claims compared to those for the general workforce. The results showed that except for COVID-19 claims (where hospital employees were covered by a presumption during the pandemic) hospital workers and the general workforce have similar injury distributions. This, combined w/a slightly lower claim denial rate for general workforce claims involving the injuries covered by SB 632, demonstrated a lack of evidence supporting the need for the presumptions – especially given that they would open the door to private sector presumptions. Following release of the CWCI analysis, SB 632, which was passed by the State Senate and sent to the Assembly in early June, was sent to the Suspense File. Executive Briefing (7/23/25) (members only) Domestic Service Companies Now Subject to Cal/OSHA Regs. As of July, temporary and permanent workers in domestic service industries (i.e., housecleaners, caregivers and gardeners) employed by companies in Calif became covered by Cal/OSHA’s workplace safety and health laws, which previously did not apply to these employees. As a result, companies employing such workers are now subject to Cal/OSHA regs requiring safe tools and equipment, hazard training, and protections against unsafe working conditions. Specific requirements include: Establishing, implementing, and maintaining an effective Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP); inspecting workplace(s) to identify, evaluate, and correct hazards that can hurt workers; making sure employees have, use, and properly maintain safe tools and equipment; providing and paying for personal protective equipment when mandated by law; and reporting serious workplace injuries or fatalities immediately to Cal/OSHA. On the flip side, the newly covered domestic employees now have the right to safe and healthy working conditions and training from their employer on workplace hazards and workers’ rights; to request that their employer provide access to the IIPP and information on Cal/OSHA standards, work injuries and illnesses, job hazards, workers’ rights; to ask their employer to correct hazards or unsafe conditions; and to file a complaint w/ Cal/OSHA regarding Title 8 or workplace hazard violations. In most cases, homeowners or renters who directly hire workers for housecleaning, cooking, caregiving, or routine gardening are still not considered employers and are excluded from the requirements. Executive Briefing (7/23/25) (members only) Fed OSHA Relaxes Penalties on Small Businesses. Fed OSHA announced in July that effective July 14, it adopted updated guidance to the penalties and debt collection section of its Field Operations Manual in order to support “the entrepreneurs that drive our economy and give them the tools they need to keep our workers safe and healthy on the job while keeping them accountable.” The new policies, which expand penalty reductions for small employers w/the goal of incentivizing quick hazard abatement and improving workplace safety, include:
Fed OSHA fines issued before July 14 will remain under the previous policy, but “open investigations in which penalties have not yet been issued are covered by the new guidance.” Executive Briefing (7/23/25) (members only) Insurance Commissioner Approves Increase in Pure Premium Rates. In July, the Dept of Insurance announced that Commissioner Lara approved an increase in advisory pure premium rates for new and renewal WC policies incepting on or after Sept 1, 2025 – the first increase in a decade. Overall, the approved increases average 8.7%, slightly more than the 8.1% increase recommended in late April by the actuary representing WCIRB’s public members and labor representatives, but below the 11.2% increase that was recommended by insurer members and approved by the WCIRB governing committee for the September 1 rate filing. The Rating Bureau’s 11.2% recommended rate hike was prompted by increases in medical loss development, a 12% increase in medical severity in 2024 (including a 14% increase in average payments for inpatient services), and a jump in claim frequency, driven in part by the emergence of cumulative trauma (CT) claims in N. California and the resulting growth in allocated loss adjustment expenses. The increase in CT claims throughout the state was notable as it coincided with the recent shift to virtual WCAB hearings, which the Rating Bureau said was followed by a 21% increase in the use of Los Angeles applicant attorneys in Bay Area hearings and a 12% increase in the use of Los Angeles applicant attorneys in San Diego hearings. In addition, applicant attorneys have reportedly increased the number of out-of-area claims filed at the Los Angeles and Van Nuys Appeals Boards. Executive Briefing (7/23/25) (members only) Executive Memo (7/14/25) (members only)
Legal Electronic Testimony in WC Hearings. On Aug. 12, the WCAB issued an en banc decision in a case involving a minor league baseball player w/CT injuries (Tyson Perez v. Chicago Dogs et al), ruling that because a complete evidentiary record is required for appellate review, a request for electronic testimony may not be denied w/o an opportunity to be heard in order to safeguard due process. In Perez, the ballplayer filed a CT claim for physical and psych injuries sustained while playing for the Houston Astros and the Chicago Dogs (part of the American Assn of Professional Baseball). The Chicago Dogs and their insurer, Liberty Mutual, filed a motion to adjudicate whether the WCAB has jurisdiction over the team. At trial, the Astros objected to a witness statement from the Dogs’ COO because they had not been served with the statement before close of discovery and admitting it into evidence would deprive the parties of due justice because they could not cross-examine the witness. The judge denied the Dogs’ request to allow their COO to testify by phone because WCAB rules require that a petition showing good cause be filed before a party can testify remotely, and the parties had not stipulated that the COO could testify remotely. The Dogs argued that their COO’s testimony was essential to establish the extent and or lack of contacts the team had w/Calif. On reconsideration, WCAB said that although its rules require filing a petition showing good cause if a witness intends to testify electronically, they also provide “considerable latitude in accepting nonstandard pleadings” and specify that “pleadings are deemed amended to conform to the stipulations agreed to by the parties on the record or may be amended by the WCAB to conform to proof.” Noting that it had preliminarily concluded that a request on the record for electronic witness testimony at the beginning of the hearing w/an opportunity for any party to respond satisfies the petition requirement and is enough to adjudicate the issue of electronic testimony. The ruling is a binding precedent on all WCAB and all WCJs, so it will affect how future requests for electronic testimony are presented. Executive Briefing (8/28/25) (members only)
Other CWCI 2025 Case Law Update On-Demand. In September CWCI presented our 27th Annual Calif WC Case Law Update as a live webinar, which was recorded so the Institute made it available on-demand so members could view the 5-hour program at their convenience w/in a 2 month span. Tuition for CWCI member employees is $299. CWCI received certification to offer 5.0 hours of WC specialization MCLE credits from the State Bar for the program and will provide registered attendees w/certificates of attendance to submit to the Assn of Hearing Reps of Calif or verify hours that can be applied toward CDI’s WC adjuster certification requirements. Executive Briefing (9/29/25) (members only) Sara Widener-Brightwell Named CWCI EVP and General Counsel. Gideon Baum, president of the CWCI announced that Sara Widener-Brightwell who has served as the Institute’s General Counsel since 2022, will now also assume the role of EVP. Ms. Widener-Brightwell will continue her work as General Counsel and remain the staff liaison to all three of the Institute’s standing committees while also assisting Mr. Baum in managing internal operations of the Institute. Ms. Widener-Brightwell’s promotion to Executive Vice-President and General Counsel took effect September 1. News Release (9/12/25) (public) CWCI President Gideon Baum Interview in Business Insurances Comp Spotlight. New CWCI president Gideon Baum was interviewed this week by Business Insurance Assistant Editor Louise Esola as the featured guest for the magazine’s Comp Spotlight video series. The 20-minute interview covers Gideon’s background in helping draft major workers’ compensation reforms, including the 2012 reforms (SB 863) and the 2015 formulary bill (AB 1124), and the role Institute research played in the development of those bills, current issues and challenges facing the California workers’ compensation system, and upcoming CWCI research. Executive Memo (9/11/25) (members only) Gideon Baum Takes Over as President of the CWCI. Effective September 1, 2025, Gideon Baum became the fifth President of the California Workers’ Compensation Institute (CWCI) in more than 60 years. Mr. Baum formally joined CWCI last year as Chief Operating Officer, where he focused on internal operations, public policy research, and representing the Institute’s members. Prior to joining CWCI, Mr. Baum was a VP of Policy at the California Hospital Association from 2021 to 2024, representing its members on legislative and regulatory matters impacting the health care workforce. Prior to CHA, he served as a committee consultant of the California State Senate Committee on Labor and Public Employment. In this role, Mr. Baum was closely involved with the creation and passage of significant workers’ compensation legislation, including the 2012 workers’ compensation reform bill (SB 863), the 2015 formulary bill (AB 1124), and the 2016 anti-fraud bill package (AB 1244 and SB 1160). Executive Briefing (8/28/25) (members only) News Release (9/2/25) (public) CWCI Case Law Seminar. The registration deadline for CWCI’s 2025 Case Law Update program was approaching as the live, on-line broadcast was slated for Sept 9 from 9 am-3:30 pm (Pacific). CWCI has been certified to offer 5.0 hours of MCLE credits (including 5.0 hours of specialization credits in WC) from the State Bar for this program and upon completion, attendees will receive certificates to submit to the Assn of Hearing Reps of Calif and for verification of hours toward CDI’s WC claims adjuster certification. Executive Briefing (8/28/25) (members only) Executive Briefing (7/23/25) (members only) CWCI Q2 2025 Quarterly Summary. Quarterly listings of all CWCI publications, including publication dates, summaries of each topic and the various formats in which the information is available (e.g., research report, Bulletin, Exec Briefing, news release), so users can choose the level of detail they want to view. Listings include live links so users can click into the CWCI website to access specific documents quickly and easily. |