Outpatient, Physician Costs Higher in States without Fee Schedules

By Michael Whiteley, Eastern Bureau ChiefInsurers and employers in states without medical fee schedules in their workers' compensation systems have seen the most rapid increases in prices for outpatient hospital and professional services, while states with fee schedules based on fixed amounts generally fared better, the Workers Competition Research Institute reported Thursday.WCRI held a webinar to discuss the findings of the 2nd Edition of its Outpatient Cost Index and the Fifth Edition of its Medical Price Index for Workers' Compensation. The institute concluded that fees are general...