IBR and IMR Filing Fee Reductions Effective 4/1/14

The Institute has confirmed with DWC Acting Administrative Director Destie Overpeck that the state has approved reductions in both Independent Bill Review (IBR) and Independent Medical Review (IMR) filing fees:

• Independent Bill Review Fees – A representative of Maximus, which is currently under contract with the DWC as both the IBR and IMR organization, noted in a webinar this week that the state had approved a reduction in the IBR filing fee from $335 to $250, though at the time, the DWC had not made a formal announcement to that effect. CWCI subsequently confirmed with the Acting AD that:

• the new IBR filing fee will be $250 for IBR requests received on or after April 1, 2014;
• any provider who has paid the $335 IBR filing fee since April 1, 2014 will be reimbursed the $85 difference between the old and new fees and
• any provider who withdraws an IBR request before assignment will be refunded $200.

• Independent Medical Review – CWCI also asked the Acting AD about the IMR filing fee, and this morning she confirmed that it also will be reduced retroactively to April 1, though the amount has yet to be announced. A Maximus representative noted that details are being hammered out in a Memorandum of Understanding and that the IMR fee reduction will be “significant.”

According to the Acting AD, the Division will issue a DIR Newsline with details on the fee reductions in the near future, so stay tuned. The DIR Newslines are posted on the DWC website at http://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/dwc_newsline.html.

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