RAND Health published a new report that examined the impact of Senate Bill 1160 on utilization review (UR) processes and medical treatment in California’s workers’ comp system.

SB 1160 reduced prospective UR requirements for some treatments during the first 30 days following a work-related injury for injuries, with the goals of reducing administrative burden on providers and improving the timeliness and quality of care for injured workers.

The report reviewed data from the California Workers’ Compensation Information System, the Independent Medical Review Database, and two large claims administrators.

Researchers found that the law had a modest overall effect, largely because many of the affected treatments were already being approved at high rates before implementation. However, the study identified some improvements in timely access to recommended care.

For instance, injured workers with conditions for which physical therapy was recommended were 13% more likely to receive treatment within 30 days after the passage of SB 1160. The average time to the first therapy visit decreased from 13.4 days to 11.9 days.

The odds of receiving guideline-supported braces or immobilizers increased by approximately 11%, although the timing of treatment did not change significantly.

Researchers found no meaningful change in the use of recommended X-rays, while the study did find a 24% increase in acupuncture for conditions where it was not recommended under evidence-based treatment guidelines.

Based on these findings, researchers recommended expanding the list of treatments exempt from prospective UR and developing a standardized statewide system for collecting and analyzing utilization review data.