IMR News

California Workers’ Comp Independent Medical Review Volume Rose in First Half of 2023

A review of the Independent Medical Review process used to resolve California workers’ compensation medical disputes shows the number of IMR decision letters rose 4.1% in the first six months of 2023 compared to the first half of 2022 after …

Report: California Independent Medical Review Volume Declined Through 1st Half of 2021

The number of independent medical reviews used to resolve California workers’ comp medical disputes hit a record low in the first half of 2021 as statewide unemployment remained stubbornly high, non-COVID job injury claims stayed below pre-pandemic levels, millions of …

Report on California Workers’ Comp Shows Steady Independent Medical Review Activity

More than 15,400 independent medical reviews a month are issued in California’s worker’s compensation system, according to a new report from the Department of Industrial Relations. The DIR this week issued a progress report on the its independent medical review …

California Workers’ Comp Medical Review Volume Fell Slightly in 2017

New data on the Independent Medical Review process used to resolve California workers’ compensation medical disputes show that IMR volume dipped for the first time ever in 2017, but the outcomes were unchanged as IMR physicians again upheld 91.2 percent …

California Workers Comp Medical Review Volume Hit a Record in 2016

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 …

Report: Most California Workers’ Comp Medical Review Decisions Upheld

An examination of California workers’ compensation independent medical review decisions shows roughly nine-in-10 of disputed medical service requests reviewed by an IMR physician agree with the utilization review determination that the service is not medically necessary. The IMR and UR …

Smooth Sailing for Most California Workers’ Comp Cases, Drugs a Problem

More than eight-in-10 workers’ compensation cases in California were taken care of without a hitch, and an overwhelming majority of those cases sent to review were ultimately upheld, according to a new study detailing the outcomes of millions of cases …

Report: Workers’ Comp Reform Saving California’s System $770M Annually

The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau released this year’s evaluation of California’s workers’ comp reform law. The WCIRB Cost Monitoring Report — 2015 Retrospective Evaluation is part of a multi-year cost monitoring plan developed by the WCIRB following the signing …

Small Number Causing California Worker’s Comp Review Excess

A small number of physicians are responsible for a large portion of the independent medical review of worker’s compensation cases in California, a process that could be costing payers in excess of $100 million, a report shows. The IMR process …