Reports Find Medical Costs Dropping, Attribute Success to SB 863

The average amount of medical costs paid per claim in calendar year 2014 dropped to $3,836 from $4,026 in 2013, according to California's Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau. Gregory Johnson, director of medical analytics for the rating bureau, said during a research webinar Wednesday that the 4.7% decrease in medical costs is significant because that figure typically does not decrease. While the reduction correlates to the Division of Workers' Compensation adopting the Resource-Based Relative Value Scale fee schedule at the start of 2014, Johnson said it's pos...