Auditor: QME Shortage Delaying Claims; Some State Agencies Overpaying for Comp

A lack of available medical evaluators resulted in the automatic denial of claims some state workers filed, delaying benefits by an average of four months, according to a new report by California state Auditor Elaine Howle. The audit published Thursday also found the Treasurer’s Office and Secretary of State were among 10 state agencies that overpaid for workers’ compensation coverage by more than $20 million over a five-year period by not taking advantage of a master agreement negotiated with State Compensation Insurance Fund. Injured workers received timely medical care, ev...