Quick Hits from Evidence Based: NCCI, CA, and IL

NCCI released research data on comorbidities in work comp:
- Claims that involve comorbid conditions are TWICE as expensive as claims that do not.
- 81% of claims that involved treatment for obesity involved lost time, 19% were medical only.
- For all claims, it's the exact OPPOSITE: 81% are medical only, 19% involve lost time.
Wow. 

A California bill passed out of committee last week that will award attorney's fees in successful challenges to utilization review decisions.  A consultant to the Appropriations Committee said the bill would have minimal impact because "somewhere between 6% and 20% of all utilization review requests result in denial and of those, only a portion will be challenged." 
Yeah... until attorney's fees are awarded for successful challenges.  In light of systemic change, historical data has little bearing on future system behavior. 

Illinois state lawmakers will vote soon on privatizing management of state workers' comp claims.  Organized labor is pushing back, but this is a logical step given the absolute and unmitigated disaster the state auditor found.  I wonder if there are other state funds as screwed up as Illinois?

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