A new study from the CaliforniaWorkers' Compensation Institute (CWCI) found drug tests havebeen added to more Workers' Compensation pain management programsin published treatment guidelines throughout the state ofCalifornia. The increased use of opioids over the past decade andgrowing concerns about the long-term reprecussions have influencedthis increase, says CWCI.
In the report, titled "The Utilization and Cost of Drug Testingin the California Workers' Compensation System," CWCI analyzed adatabase of 2.8 million clinical lab service records for urine drugtests (UDTs) performed on California injured workers between 2002and 2014, for which claims administrators paid $108 million.According to Stacy Jones, CWCI senior research associate, UDTs as apercentage of all California WC lab services increased nearlysix-fold over the last eight years — 
from 10.2% in 2007 to 59.1% in 2014. As aresult, UDT payments went up from 23% to 77% of WC lab paymentsover the same period.
(Click the chart on the right for full size.)
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