Steady Drop in Comp Surgeries, Increase in Mental Health Visits Noted

Since 2014, the percentage of indemnity claims involving a major surgery in the first two years has declined 1 percentage point per year, falling from 28% of the 2014 claims to 23% of the 2019 claims, according to a study released Monday by the California Workers’ Compensation Institute. The study tracked treatment patterns in the California workers' comp system for non-COVID claims, finding that medical services have “stabilized” in recent years, with only “minor” changes in the utilization rates and volume of services rendered to injured workers within the ...