Research

A new CWCI analysis, based on claims experience from AY 2002 through June 2009, takes an updated look at the development of California workers' comp paid medical costs.

A new CWCI study, based on claims from AY 2002 through March 2008, provides updated data on average temporary disability payments and paid TD days measured at 12 and 24 months following the initial TD payment.

New CWCI Research finds that the use of network providers to deliver medical services to injured workers, which rose sharply following the introduction of MPNs, has continued, albeit at a slower pace, as has the growth in the percentage of medical dollars flowing to network providers.

A new CWCI study on Calif. workers' comp prescriptions shows the use of compound drugs, medical foods, and "co-packs" that combine prescription drugs and medical foods, increased sharply in the 2nd quarter of 2007 – coinciding with state regulators' crackdown on physician-dispensed repackaged drugs.

A CWCI study finds that most injured worker prescriptions in California are in the Medi-Cal fee schedule database that sets maximum reasonable pharmacy fees and helps control workers' comp costs, suggesting that other factors such as an increase in the number of scripts/claim, increases in Average Wholesale Prices used to calculate pharmacy fees, a shift toward more expensive drugs, and PBM contract rates and payments that exceed fee schedule allowances, may be responsible for recent growth in prescription drug costs.

California public self-insured losses continued to mount last year, despite declining claim volume, as claim severity (average loss per claim) increased for the fourth year in a row.