September 14, 2017
The volume of workers’ compensation independent medical reviews in California appears to be tapering off, a new study shows. The IMR process was established by California lawmakers to resolve medical disputes. A study from the California Workers’ Compensation Institute shows …
July 14, 2017
A new progress report from the California Department of Industrial Relations on the department’s independent medical review program shows that 13,000 decisions run through the medical dispute resolution process each month. The report, 2017 Independent Medical Review Report: Analysis of …
March 21, 2017
The California workers’ compensation independent medical review process used to resolve medical disputes found that in 2016 IMR physicians once again upheld about 90 percent of utilization review physician’s modifications or denials of treatment, yet IMR volume climbed 6.5 percent …
November 30, 2016
A look back at the performance of a law reforming California’s worker’s compensation system that took effect in 2013 shows more than $1 billion in savings has been created. The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau released a report on Senate …
November 16, 2016
A California Department of Industrial Relations progress report shows continuing improvement of the state’s Independent Medical Review process. IMR is the medical dispute resolution process that uses medical expertise to obtain consistent, evidence-based decisions and component of the state’s workers’ …
July 20, 2015
A small number of physicians are responsible for a large portion of the independent medical review of workers’ compensation cases in California, a process that could be costing payers in excess of $100 million, a report shows. The IMR process …
January 14, 2014
A key part to California’s sweeping workers’ compensation reform is working, according to a new study and the people running the system. More than 95 percent of workers’ comp medical treatment requests are approved following the utilization review and independent …
July 2, 2013
Jason Molnar makes a living deep in the trenches of workers’ compensation battles in California, so you’d think when there was a no show from an opponent at an official lien hearing that he’d be relieved by what should have …