The impact of cost intensive physicians on workers' compensation.
OBJECTIVE
To identify physicians linked to high-cost workers' compensation claims.


METHODS
Contrast the cost and duration of claims associated with cost intensive physicians (CIPs) and other physicians (OPs) on 5 years of closed claims paid by the Louisiana Workers' Compensation Corporation.


RESULTS
Identified 77 CIPs of 2034 physicians who treated Louisiana Workers' Compensation Corporation claimants. CIPs made up 3.8% of physicians but accounted for 72% of costs. CIP's treated 16 times more claimants, and their average claim cost was four times higher than the OPs ($46,239 vs $11,390, P < 0.01). CIP claims settled in 697 versus 278 days for OPs. Adjusted for age, sex, marital status, International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision group, and initial reserve, the odds ratio of CIP claims with a final cost of >$50,000 was 5.4.


CONCLUSIONS
A small group of physicians (<4%) have a profound effect on overall workers' compensation costs.
Bernacki
Edward J
EJ
Department of Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287-1629, USA.
Tao
Xuguang
X
Yuspeh
Larry
L
D005249:Fees and Charges; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007345:Insurance Claim Review; D016015:Logistic Models; D008145:Louisiana; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010820:Physicians / Q000191:economics*; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000191:economics*