Research

A new CWCI study finds that the growth of CT claims in California workers’ comp cannot be fully explained by factors such as employment or population growth, overall claim frequency, or changes in the composition of the workforce. Instead, the increase appears to reflect broader structural changes within the system, with one of the most notable developments being the geographic expansion of Southern California applicant attorneys into other regions of the state. The report may be downloaded for free from the Research section of our website.

CWCI’s follow-up study on medical inflation in California workers’ comp reviews prices, utilization and billing practices across major medical service categories. The report traces much of the recent growth in medical costs to the increased use of unlisted billing codes which are not subject to fee schedule price controls, especially for professional services and DMEPOS.  The full report is free to members and subscribers by calling 510-251-9470, others may purchase a copy for $23.

A new CWCI Research Update report provides new data on IMR volume and outcomes over the 11-year period ending in 2025.  The report notes the post-pandemic growth in IMR activity as changes in the geographic concentration of IMR in California, the mix of service and drug disputes that are submitted to IMR, and the uphold rates for the various types of disputes, the modification rates for key service categories, and the percentage of IMRs coming from high-volume physicians.   

Emerging Drug Classes in California Workers' Comp: CWCI's latest analysis of prescription drugs used in California workers' compensation focuses on Psychotherapeutic & Neurological Drugs — a drug group that represents a tiny share of all prescriptions dispensed to injured workers, but that has emerged as one of the top ten costliest drug groups in California workers' compensation due to the use of high-priced, specialty medications.

A CWCI Report to the Industry examines the characteristics of injured workers approved for FRPs and how these programs have been implemented in the California workers comp system. For its analysis, CWCI compiled a sample of 635 indemnity claims that involved FRPs from the UR systems of 6 California workers comp 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 a more precise assessment of FRP vs. non-FRP treatment costs, TD duration, and claim duration, FRP claims were also compared to a matched sample of non-FRP indemnity claims that had similar clinical, demographic, and claim characteristics. The report evaluates 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; analyzes FRP utilization and cost patterns, compared to conventional pain management and compares medical costs and claim duration between FRP and matched non-FRP claims.

A CWCI Legislative Impact Report examines SB 632, a bill that would give acute care hospital workers who provide direct patient care presumptions of compensability for 9 categories of injuries, encompassing more than 250 ICD-10 codes.