Utilization Review is primarily concerned with which aspect of medical treatment in workers' compensation?

• A. Timeliness of payments
• B. Medical treatment necessity and appropriateness
• C. Employer payroll compliance
• D. Disability rating

Answer: (B)

Utilization Review focuses on medical treatment necessity and appropriateness. It’s the process that checks whether the care proposed or being provided for a workers’ compensation claim is medically necessary, appropriate for the diagnosis and stage of recovery, and aligned with evidence-based guidelines. The goal is to authorize care that will meaningfully help the patient while avoiding unnecessary, ineffective, or duplicative treatments, and to use guidelines (such as California’s MTUS) to judge what is appropriate.

This isn’t about when payments are made, payroll obligations, or assigning a disability rating. Those areas relate to financial handling or impairment assessment, not whether the medical treatment itself is justified or necessary.