California Workers Compensation Institute Publishes Claim Cost Study

On August 26, 2013, the California Workers Compensation Institute (CWCI) published their Workers Compensation Claim Cost Study.

Some of the highlights of the report include:

1. Average medical payments for California workers compensation claims increased over 60% between 2005 and 2011
2. Average medical payments for indemnity claims rose to $6,845 in 2011, up 60.2% from $4,273 in 2005
3. Average medical payments for all California workers compensation claims climbed to $2,543 in 2011, up 51.7% from $1,677 in 2005
4. Average payments for indemnity claims that included pharmaceuticals and durable medical equipment between 2005 and 2011 rose 187.6% to $801
5. Average pharmaceutical and durable medical equipment payments for all California workers comp claims during that time increased 171.3% to $276
6. Medical treatments represented 73% of medical payment costs in 2011, compared with 79.4% in 2005
7. Medical cost containment expenses represented 13.9% of medical payment costs in 2011, compared with 11.6% in 2005
8. Analysis of 2012 claims showed that average medical payments for workers comp claims showed "marginal" declines in the first three and six months after an occupational injury

To access the summary of the full report, please click here.