Utilization Review
Aug 26, 2025
CO: New Law Empowers Injured Workers & Doctors
Colorado is taking a sledgehammer to payer control over injured workers’ care. Governor Jared Polis signed House Bill 25-1300 into law in June. Starting in 2028...
Aug 22, 2025
Zurich: Vague Authorization Creates More Treatment Friction
Insurer Zurich North America offered a classic example of the bureaucratic absurdity that plagues California’s treatment authorization process, issuing a baffling, time-bound...
Jul 30, 2025
CA: Business Insider Falls for Insurer Propaganda
Business Insider published a cringy slop of insurer talking points, uncritically parroting insurers’ preferred narrative about the coming increase...
Jun 19, 2025
DWC Data: Texas Delivers, California Dodges
The Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation (TX DWC) and the California Division of Workers’ Compensation (CA DWC) each hold a sacred public trust to oversee the treatment of...
Jun 11, 2025
Sedgwick’s New Website: Shaky Stats Tout Provider Exploitation
Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc. has a new website. True to brand, the new site makes one thing abundantly clear: marketing provider abuse is easier th...
Jun 10, 2025
Report: CA DIR Director Hagen Resigning
According to Workers’ Comp Executive, California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) Director Katrina Hagen is stepping down after five years. The Californ...
Jun 3, 2025
Workers’ Comp Has a Serious Data Problem
Anyone who’s been hurt at work (or treated an injured worker) knows that the workers' comp system is in crisis. To fix it, stakeholders need reliable, verifiable data—but tha...
May 28, 2025
Insurance Execs Make Bank While Comp Crumbles
Business Insurance recently named the five highest-paid executives in the country for 2024. These executives’ compensation packages are, as expected, massive—an...
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Apr 30, 2025
RAND Gets $300K for UR Study—What's the ROI?
The California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) plans to address the state’s broken Utilization Review (UR) system—by paying frequent contract recipient RAND Corporat...
Apr 21, 2025
CHSWC Steps Up—Tackling PTSD & Wasteful "Studies"
Last week’s meeting of California’s Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation (CHSWC) made something clear: the Commission is serious about fixing what’s brok...
Apr 15, 2025
An Open Letter to CHSWC re: UR Abuse (cc: Governor Newsom)
To the Members of the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation (CHSWC)CC: Governor Gavin NewsomRE: California’s Broken Utilization Review Syste...
Mar 13, 2025
Paduda's Predictions: An Insult to Workers’ Comp Doctors
Joe Paduda of Managed Care Matters is (understandably) worried about Americans losing their health insurance due to Republicans' cuts to healthcare spending—but his ar...