WCIRB: Payments for Physician-Dispensed Drugs Down 20%

California's rating bureau on Thursday released rare good news about a chronic cost-driver. The Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau reported that in the second half of 2012, the share of payments for drugs dispensed by physicians and those dispensed by pharmacies was roughly 50-50. By the second half of 2015, the share of payments going to pharmacies had increased to 67%, with only a third of payments going to doctors. During this period, the average amount paid to physicians was steady, suggesting “the reduction in providers’ share of overall drug payments was ...