Today’s issue of WorkCompRecap features the release of a new report from CWCI that found the number of independent medical reviews (IMRs) used to resolve California workers’ compensation medical disputes fell sharply in the first half of 2020.
CWCI noted that it tallied 70,273 IMR decision letters issued in the first half of 2020 in response to applications submitted to the state, compared to 85,318 letters issued in the first six months of 2019 (-17.6%). Once again, about 40% of the letters included decisions on multiple services, but with the decline in letter volume, the total number of primary service decisions fell by 19.3% from 148,069 in the first half of 2019 to 119,514 in the first half of 2020. The report also noted that IMR outcomes showed little change, with IMRs upholding UR 88.8% of the time vs 88.2% in 2019.
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