The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) will hold an hour-long webinar on the impact of vertical integration on prices, medical utilization, and outcomes, based on published WCRI reports. The date of the webinar is Thursday, May 2, 2024, at 2pm ET.

“Medical markets are increasingly concentrated, meaning patients are more likely to be treated by physicians at sites owned by hospitals and health systems,” said Ramona Tanabe, president and CEO of WCRI. “This raises a policy question about whether the increasing concentration of medical providers may lead to higher payments for medical care without corresponding improvements in patient outcomes.”

Senior policy analyst Dr. Bogdan Savych will share highlights from three WCRI studies (Impact of Vertical Integration in Workers’ Compensation, Impact of Medical Provider Consolidation on Workers’ Compensation Payments, Workers’ Compensation Providers: Describing the Marketplace) while addressing the following questions:

• What are the trends in the consolidation of providers treating workers with injuries?
• What is the impact of vertical integration of medical providers on the payments for workers’ compensation care, and on patterns and quantity of care provided?
• Did claims with workers who were treated by vertically integrated providers have higher medical payments per claim and longer duration of temporary disability?

The analysis focuses on care provided to workers in 34 states who experienced a work-related injury between 2012 and 2018. It covers the main specialties of medical professionals who treat a large share of workers with injuries, including physicians and non-physicians.

Webinars are $50 for non-members and free for WCRI members, members of the press, and legislators. Attendance is limited to 500 people, and all attendees receive a copy of the slides and a recording of the webinar. Click here to register now.

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