injured worker News

Few California Workers’ Comp Treatment Request Denials Overturned

Few medical treatment denials in California workers’ compensation were overturned last year, a review released on Wednesday shows. The California Division of Workers’ Compensation posted an annual report on the department’s Independent Medical Review program, which describes IMR program activity …

California Workers’ Comp Department’s Medical-Legal Evaluation Regulations OK’d

The Office of Administrative Law approved the California Division of Workers’ Compensation regulations affecting its Medical-Legal Evaluation program. The regulations include the permanent adoption of emergency regulations allowing telehealth evaluation by Qualified Medical Evaluators, and changes to the rules regarding …

California Workers’ Comp Study Tracks Inpatient Care Utilization Trends

A new study shows that after across-the-board declines in California inpatient hospitalizations during the COVID-19 crisis of 2020, the number of inpatient stays paid under Medicare, Medi-Cal, and private coverage began to rebound in 2021. However, the number of workers’ …

California Workers’ Comp Bureau Says Premium Fell Sharply Beginning in 2Q 2020

Written premium declined sharply beginning in the second quarter of 2020 due to the economic downturn resulting from the pandemic, according to a report out on Tuesday. The report from the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California shows a …

New Mexico Approves Decrease in Workers’ Comp Loss Costs

The New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance approved a rate proposal submitted by the National Council on Compensation Insurance that will reduce voluntary workers’ compensation loss costs by an average of 10.7%, to become effective for policies renewing on …

Report: It Takes 7 Years to Close Most California Workers’ Comp Claims

It takes seven years to close the vast majority of workers’ compensation claims in California, more than double the time in the median state. The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California released a report detailing duration drivers for California …

California Workers’ Comp Bureau Study Shows Higher L.A. Claims Frequency

The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California released its 2022 WCIRB Geo Study, which underscores regional differences in claim characteristics across California. Key findings include: Even after controlling for regional differences in wages and industry mix, indemnity claim frequency …

New Report on California Workers’ Comp Medical Payment Trends

The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California released an updated California Workers’ Compensation Aggregate Medical Payment Trends report for 2021. The latest annual report compares medical payment information from 2019 through 2021. It analyzes medical payment and utilization trends …

Washington Proposes 4.8% Workers’ Comp Increase for 2023

The Washington Department of Labor & Industries is proposing a 4.8% increase in the average price employers and workers pay for workers’ compensation insurance in 2023. Employers and workers would jointly pay an additional $61 a year on average for …

Oregon Workers’ Comp Costs to Drop for 10th Year

Oregon employers will pay less for workers’ compensation coverage on average next year, according to the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services. The DCBS said the decline in costs marks 10 years of average decreases in the pure premium …