The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California (WCIRB) released a new methodology for measuring physician service utilization.

Previously, the WCIRB measured physician service utilization by counting medical transactions per claim. The new measure incorporates relative value units (RVUs) – measurements used to measure the resources, time, effort, and expertise required to deliver certain medical services and procedures – that account for differences in resource intensity.

To test the new methodology, the WCIRB measured physician service utilization from 2020-2025 using both methodologies. Physician services utilization increased 8% under the new measure, compared with a 5% decline under the original measure.

Utilization growth was driven primarily by the Southern California region, recent growth in cumulative trauma claims, and increased use of more resource-intensive Evaluation and Management and Physical Medicine services.

The WCIRB intends to incorporate the new measure into future medical cost trend analyses, making this report an important foundation for understanding and interpreting future findings.