Research

Use of medical networks in California workers' compensation continues to grow, with new CWCI data showing that in AY 2009, network providers accounted for three-quarters of 1st year physician-based treatment and nearly 2/3 of the total paid for such services. The full study is in the Research section.

Medical Back Problems without spinal cord involvement represent 1 in 6 work injuries and more than a 1/4 of all workers' comp loss dollars. A new Injury Score Card provides detailed data on claims these medical back claims.

A new CWCI Report to the Industry looks at trends in California public self-insured claims experience using state data to track changes in public self-insured employers' aggregate losses, average amounts paid and incurred per claim and claim volume over the past decade, with results measured at the first through 5th report levels. The Report is posted in the Research section.

Spine disorders with Spinal Cord or Root Involvement account for less than 1-1/2 percent of all California job injury claims, but nearly 7 percent of all workers' comp paid losses. The latest CWCI Injury Score Card offers detailed data on these high-cost claims.

CWCI research measures the growing use of drug testing in California workers' compensation, as well as the associated billings and payments.

Duplicate payments to hospitals allowed by the California Workers' Compensation Official Medical Fee Schedule for implantable hardware used in spinal surgery added an average of $20,137 in fees to more than 3,350 work injury claims in 2010, boosting workers' compensation medical costs by nearly $67.5 million