Claims associated with functional restoration programs in California’s workers’ compensation system averaged $234,003 total, 59% higher than matched non-FRP claims, a new study shows.
A study from the California Workers’ Compensation Institute out this week examines FRPs, multidisciplinary treatments aimed at injured workers with chronic pain who have not improved with conventional therapies. The study reviewed 635 FRP indemnity claims versus 270,165 non-FRP claims.
Medical costs were roughly double ($127,816 vs. $64,062), while FRP services averaged $59,106 per claim.
A major driver was unlisted procedure codes, which represented 84.3% of treatment costs and averaged $1,751 per code, according to the CWCI study.
FRP claims averaged 520 days of temporary disability, above the 415 days for non-FRP claims, while average claim duration was 1,287 days, 27% longer than matched non-FRP claims, the study shows.
The study also shows FRP claims were concentrated in the Bay Area (47.4%) and Central Valley (25.7%). Attorney involvement was 94% of FRP claims, well above 51% of non-FRP claims. The study is posted on the CWCI website.
Topics California Claims
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