CWCI Member-Only White Paper Examines the Impact of the Copy Service Fee Schedule

Among the SB 863 reforms enacted in 2012 was a requirement that the DWC develop a Copy Service Fee Schedule that defines allowable copy services and fees, along with an independent bill review process for resolving bill payment disputes.  The intent of those reforms, and the regulations that followed, was to control copy service costs, reduce the administrative burden associated with copy service liens, and to improve the timeliness of copy service payments. 

The Division promulgated the Copy Service Fee Schedule in April 2015, and it took effect for copy services provided on or after July 1 of that year.  After receiving anecdotal reports of ongoing copy service issues and abuses, CWCI undertook a study to measure the impact that the fee schedule has had on copy service experience.  The attached white paper, prepared by CWCI Senior Research Associate Stacy Jones, provides background on the issue and details the results of that research.  The white paper notes the changes in the average and median amounts paid for copy services per claim since the adoption of the schedule; the distribution of payments by copy service category for the top 10 providers (who accounted for 75 percent of all copy services in the first half of 2017); and the distribution of denials by copy service category for the top 10 providers. 

The paper also identifies billing practices and payment and denial patterns that may warrant additional analysis by claims organizations that have access to detailed bills, and points to areas where future regulatory action in regard to workers’ compensation copy services could be helpful. 

This white paper is being provided to CWCI members only for internal distribution.  To download the document, please click here.  If you have questions about the paper, please feel free to call the Institute at (510) 251-9470. 

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