Waltham, MA – A new study from the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) recently found that medical costs per claim for injured workers in California rose by 7% in 2025, following similar growth in 2024.
“California medical costs per claim stayed stable or even declined in 2020–2023 but have increased notably since then,” said Sebastian Negrusa, WCRI vice president of research. “If you are a policymaker or stakeholder in the California workers’ compensation system, this study provides critical information on how the system continues to evolve.”
The report, CompScope™ Medical Benchmarks for California, 2026 Edition, identifies current cost drivers and emerging trends in the payments, prices, and utilization of medical services across both hospital and nonhospital providers in the state’s workers’ compensation system.
It compares medical payment metrics in California with those in 26 other states and analyzes recent changes through 2025, and also draw on findings from other WCRI studies to create a more comprehensive overview of the system in California.
The study also provides an overview of how recent system changes, shifts in the composition of workers’ compensation claims, and external factors—such as the economy, inflation, and medical care—have likely affected medical payments and treatment in recent years.
The report, authored by William Monnin-Browder, is free for members and available to nonmembers for a fee.
More info or purchase: WCRI: CompScope™ Medical Benchmarks for California, 2026 Edition
Source: WCRI