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Low Back Pain: when insurers say no, reviewers often say yes
In 412 published external-review decisions involving low back pain, independent physician reviewers overturned the insurer’s denial 25.7% of the time.
Published decisions
412
2001–2026
Overturned
25.7%
106 denials reversed
Most-fought treatments for low back pain
What insurers denied — and how those fights ended.
| Treatment | Decisions | Overturned |
|---|---|---|
| MRI | 14 | 7.1% |
| Acupuncture | 13 | 38.5% |
How to use this in your appeal
These outcomes come from California’s external review program — an independent physician panel whose decision binds the insurer. Every state has an equivalent, and internal appeals succeed even more often. If your care for low back pain was denied, the published record says the denial is worth fighting.
SOURCE: CALIFORNIA DMHC INDEPENDENT MEDICAL REVIEW OUTCOMES (CHHS OPEN DATA) · DERIVED AGGREGATE STATISTICS ONLY · METHODOLOGY
Not legal or medical advice. Coverage Rights is a self-help tool that helps you prepare your own appeal. For advice about your specific situation, talk to a licensed attorney or your doctor.