Epidural Injection denials: 45.0% overturned by independent reviewers
In 169 California IMR decisions from 2002 to 2026, reviewers overturned the plan 76 times (45.0%). In the last five years: 60.0% of 55. Denials reach IMR only when a member appeals all the way; read the caveats below before generalising.
By diagnosis
| Diagnosis category | Decisions | Overturned | Last 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orth/Musculoskeletal | 155 | 45.2% | 58.0% of 50 |
| CNS/ Neuromusc Dis | 5 | 80.0% | 100.0% of 3 |
By year (last five)
| Year | Decisions | Overturned |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8 | 75.0% |
| 2022 | 5 | 20.0% |
| 2023 | 13 | 53.8% |
| 2024 | 15 | 73.3% |
| 2025 | 13 | 61.5% |
| 2026 | 1 | 0.0% |
What the findings mention
| What the findings mention | Decisions | Overturned | All decisions here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published evidence citedThe findings refer to peer-reviewed or published evidence. | 72 | 51.4% | 45.0% |
| Records did not supportThe findings say the documentation did not show what was needed (usually an upheld denial). | 33 | 3.0% | 45.0% |
| Prior therapies failedThe findings mention treatments that were tried without adequate response. | 29 | 72.4% | 45.0% |
| Guidelines or criteria citedThe findings cite guidelines, criteria or a standard of care. | 27 | 59.3% | 45.0% |
| Experimental or investigationalThe findings discuss whether the treatment is experimental. | 5 | 20.0% | 45.0% |
| Alternatives contraindicatedThe findings mention a contraindication to the plan's preferred option. | 4 | 25.0% | 45.0% |
| Step therapy or fail-firstThe findings mention a fail-first requirement. | 3 | 33.3% | 45.0% |
Keyword matches on the reviewer’s findings, not causes. A tag that appears mostly in overturned decisions is worth documenting in an appeal; it is not a guarantee.
From recent overturned decisions
“The physician reviewer found that a patient has requested authorization and coverage for lumbar/sacral transforaminal epidural injection. Leading expert guidelines strongly recommend epidural injections, citing their long-term effectiveness in treating chronic spinal pain. A review found that epidural corticosteroid injections may reduce leg pain in patients with lumbosacral radicular pain. In this case, the patient has a history of radiculopathy …”
“The physician reviewer found that Nature of Statutory Criteria/Case Summary:A patient has requested authorization and coverage for transforaminal epidural steroid injections. Epidural steroid injections are an accepted interventional treatment for radicular pain due to nerve root inflammation, particularly in patients who have not achieved adequate relief with conservative management. Clinical guidelines support their use in appropriately selected patients with imaging …”
“The physician reviewer found that Nature of Statutory Criteria/Case Summary: A patient has requested authorization and coverage for a transforaminal lumbar epidural steroid injection. In this case, the patient has a diagnosis of lumbar adjacent segment disease with spondylolisthesis. The record establishes that the patient’s pain is in her lower back, which radiates to her flank, left buttock, and left …”
- California only: these are decisions by independent reviewers under California's IMR program (plans regulated by the Department of Managed Health Care). Other states and self-funded employer plans use different reviewers and rules.
- Selection: only denials that a member took all the way to IMR appear. Most denials are never appealed, and the ones that reach an external reviewer are not a random sample.
- Overturned means the reviewer disagreed with the plan; it does not mean the treatment worked or that a similar request will be approved.
- Argument tags are keyword matches on the reviewer's findings. They describe what the findings mention, not why the case was decided.
- Categories are DMHC's own labels (treatment sub-category and diagnosis category); 'Other' is a catch-all and is excluded from rankings.
Source: California Department of Managed Health Care, Independent Medical Review (IMR) Determinations, Trend (CHHS Open Data). Public California government data; Apellica's aggregates and tags are CC BY 4.0.
Questions
How often were Epidural Injection denials overturned?
In 169 California IMR decisions from 2002 to 2026, reviewers overturned the plan 76 times (45.0%). In the last five years: 60.0% of 55.
What did the reviewers' findings mention in overturned cases?
The table on this page counts keyword matches in the findings: prior therapies tried, contraindications, guidelines cited, published evidence, whether the records supported the request. They describe what the findings say, not why the case was decided.
Does a California IMR result apply to my plan?
Only California plans regulated by the Department of Managed Health Care go to IMR. Other states and self-funded employer plans use different reviewers, but the reasoning is the same kind: criteria, documentation and alternatives. Use the findings as a guide to what to document.
Related: California appeal rights · California external-review reversal rate · The levers library · CSV
Independent reviewers reverse plans when the record answers the criteria. Upload the denial letter; a senior reviewer reads it within 24 hours and tells you in writing whether it can be appealed and how. $0 upfront, 10% of what is recovered, nothing if we do not recover. Not a law firm.