Today’s issue of WorkCompRecap features the release of a new CWCI study that examined medical and indemnity payment trends in California from accident years (AY) 2002 to 2014, and found that pharmaceutical and DME payments have continued to rise sharply.
According to the report, which covered 2.1 million claims and $25.6 billion in payments, after reforms in 2003 and 2004, pharmaceutical and DME payments dipped briefly, but since then have been the fastest growing component in the state. For instance, between AY 2011 & 2012, average amounts paid for pharma and DME increased 19.4%, on top of a 26% increase the prior year. In contrast, CWCI noted that medical treatment expenses, and medical management/cost containment expenses showed only modest increases over the same time period.
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