Today’s issue of WorkCompRecap features WCRI’s announcement of a new webinar next Thursday that will explore findings from its recent report on California’s 2005 heat standard and the associated impact on workers’ comp outcomes.

WCRI noted that with stakeholders at all levels debating heat safety standards, the study offered measurable evidence of how the standard impacted injury frequency in occupations to which it applied, including construction, agriculture, and transportation. Key areas of discussion for the webinar include the size of the impact of the heat standard on injury frequency in industries with outdoor heat exposure; whether the standard’s impact increases with higher temperatures; whether the impact of the heat standard varies for younger versus older workers; and more.

For more information on the webinar (including how to register!), click here.

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Waltham, MA, October 23, 2025 – Medical payments per claim for injured workers in Pennsylvania rose 14% in 2023, following relatively stable or declining payments over the previous four years, according to a recent study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI).

“The growth in medical payments reflects, in part, recent updates to Pennsylvania’s medical fee schedule, which is tied to the statewide average weekly wage,” said Sebastian Negrusa, WCRI vice president of research. “Policymakers and stakeholders will want to read this study to understand how the system is performing compared with other states.”

CompScope™ Medical Benchmarks for Pennsylvania, 2025 Edition examines payments, prices, and utilization of workers’ compensation medical care, comparing Pennsylvania with 17 other states. It also analyzes trends from 2018 to 2023, focusing on non-COVID-19 claims.

The report, authored by William Monnin-Browder, is free for members and available to nonmembers for a fee.

ABOUT WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Founded in 1983, WCRI produces objective, peer-reviewed studies on workers’ compensation systems, using rigorous data collection and scientific methods. Funded by its members, including employers, insurers, government agencies, healthcare providers, and labor organizations, WCRI produces research that helps key stakeholders make informed decisions.

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DaisyNews writes:

Yet another industry report confirms that workers’ compensation is stupendously profitable for insurers, outperforming the rest of the insurance industry even as rates decrease in most of the nation...

As for the medical costs of actually treating injured workers, a Workers’ Compensation Research Institute report found California’s fee schedule rates near the bottom nationally.  In other words, the bloat appears to be more on the insurer's administrative side than on the treatment side.

Read their full analysis (diatribe?) here.

The WCRI report that they cite is "Designing Workers’ Compensation Medical Fee Schedules, 2025." You can find more information, including how to download a copy, elsewhere on our website.

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J&L Insurance's blog reflects on some findings from the new edition of CompScope™ Medical Benchmarks:

WCRI (Workers Comp Research Institute) released its great CompScope Study and Report two weeks ago.
Yes, I am running a little late on getting this one into an article.

Looking for the anomalies can be easily accomplished using the CompScope Benchmark Report.   WCRI had pointed out that medical costs rose 5 – 12% per claim...

I think that the statement below from WCRI,  which was released with the reports, explained the increases very well.

“Medical payments per claim remained relatively stable, but recently, they started increasing, fueled by an increase in medical utilization, medical prices, and updates to state fee schedules,” said Sebastian Negrusa, WCRI Vice President of Research.

Read the full article here.  You can find more details on CompScope™ Medical Benchmarks, 2025 Edition, including information on how to get a copy, elsewhere on our website.

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Safety and Health reports...

California’s heat regulations have led to fewer work-related injuries on hot days, according to the results of a recent study conducted by the Workers Compensation Research Institute.

WCRI says its previous research has found that excessive heat “not only causes heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion but also impairs judgment and perception, increasing the risk of accidents such as being struck by machinery.”

Read their full article here.  For information on the WCRI study, "Impact of California’s Heat Standard on Workers’ Compensation Outcomes", visit its page on our website, where you can also find information on how to get a copy and on WCRI membership.

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WorkCompWire gives a plug for our annual conference:

As a leading workers’ compensation forum, the WCRI conference attracts policymakers, employers, labor advocates, insurance executives, health care organizations, claims managers, researchers, and more. Attendees will gain fresh perspectives, make valuable connections, and deepen their understanding of critical issues in today’s competitive landscape. An early-bird discount and special hotel rates are available for a limited time

Read WCR's full article here.

Click here for more information about the conference from WCRI, including insights from past attendees and how to register!

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IWP: Medical costs in workers’ compensation are rising across most states, according to a new report from the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI). The study examined 18 states and found that medical payments per claim increased between 5% and 14% in recent years. Notable increases were seen in Pennsylvania (14% in 2023), Delaware (7% annually from 2021–2023), and Wisconsin (6% annually), driven by changes in fee schedules and service pricing.

You can read the IWP's full weekly roundup here.  The WCRI report that it refers to is CompScope™ Medical Benchmarks, 2025 Edition.  You can find more information, including details of how to download our study and links to the individual state reports, elsewhere on our website.

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Waltham, MA, October 16, 2025 – After years of stable payments, medical costs per claim for injured workers in California rose 5% as of 2024, according to a new study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI).

“Payments per claim to both nonhospital and hospital providers increased in 2023, which was a shift compared with prior years,” said Sebastian Negrusa, WCRI vice president of research. “If you are a policymaker or stakeholder in the California workers’ compensation system, this study provides critical perspectives on how the system is performing compared with other states.”

CompScope™ Medical Benchmarks for California, 2025 Edition examines payments, prices, and utilization of workers’ compensation medical care from 2018 to 2023, with non-COVID-19 claims evaluated as of 2024. The study compares California with other states overall, by provider type, and by type of medical service.

The report, authored by William Monnin-Browder, is free for members and available to nonmembers for a fee.

ABOUT WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Founded in 1983, WCRI produces objective, peer-reviewed studies on workers’ compensation systems, using rigorous data collection and scientific methods. Funded by its members, including employers, insurers, government agencies, healthcare providers, and labor organizations, WCRI produces research that helps key stakeholders make informed decisions.

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WorkCompCentral: The Workers Compensation Research Institute will present a 30-minute webinar at 2 p.m. Eastern on Oct. 30 to highlight findings from its latest report, Impact of California’s Heat Standard on Workers’ Compensation Outcomes.

For more information and to sign up, visit our website.

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Medical costs per claim have begun to rise following a period of relative stability post-pandemic, a new report shows.

A new Workers Compensation Research Institute report shows medical payments per claim recently started increasing, fueled by an increase in medical utilization, medical prices, and updates to state fee schedules.

For the full article in Insurance Journal, click here.

You can find information on the WCRI report--CompScope™ Medical Benchmarks, 2025 Edition--elsewhere on our website.  The page includes instructions on how to get a copy, as well as links to individual state reports.

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Claims Journal: The blast that killed 16 workers at a military explosives plant in Tennessee last week likely could have been prevented with better safety measures and accountability, the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health said in a statement.

...Tennessee workers’ compensation law in 2025 provides a $10,000 burial allowance for deceased workers’ families, and up to $477,000 in benefits to dependents, according to the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute’s most recent compilation of state benefits. Spouses’ benefits end upon the spouse’s death or remarriage. Child benefits end at age 18 or at age 22 if the child is a student.

You can read the full article here.

The WCRI report cited here is Workers’ Compensation Laws as of January 1, 2025.  Visit the study's page on our website for more information, including how to download a copy.

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Today’s issue of WorkCompRecap features the release of the latest edition of WCRI’s CompScope Medical Benchmarks report, which examines medical payments, prices, and utilization overall, by provider, and by type of service across 18 states and how they have changed over time.

You can read more from WorkCompWire here.

For more information on CompScope™ Medical Benchmarks, 2025 Edition, including links to individual state studies and instructions on how to download, visit the study's page on our website.

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Waltham, MA, October 15, 2025 – The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) announced a 30-minute webinar scheduled for Thursday, October 30, 2025, at 2:00 PM ET, highlighting findings from its latest report, Impact of California’s Heat Standard on Workers’ Compensation Outcomes

“With policymakers at all levels debating heat safety standards, this study offers measurable evidence of how California’s 2005 heat standard impacted injury frequency in occupations covered by the standard, such as construction, agriculture, and transportation,” said Ramona Tanabe, WCRI president and CEO.

During the webinar, Sebastian Negrusa, WCRI vice president of research, will address key questions:

• How large is the impact of the heat standard on injury frequency in industries with outdoor heat exposure?
• Does the impact of the heat standard increase with higher temperatures?
• Does the impact of the heat standard vary for younger versus older workers?

Previous WCRI research found that excessive heat not only causes heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion but also impairs judgment and perception, increasing the risk of accidents such as being struck by machinery. Heat-related illnesses are 11 to 18 times more frequent on days above 95°F compared with days between 75 and 80°F, yet they represent 20 to 25 percent of all injuries attributable to heat.

Webinars are $50 for non-members and FREE for WCRI members, members of the press, and legislators, as well as their staff. Registration is limited to 500 people, and all registrants will receive a copy of the webinar slides and a recording of the session. Click here to register now.

About WCRI:

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches. It provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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Tre’Vaughn Howard: There are fewer workplace injuries when states create safety regulations to protect workers from the heat, two sets of researchers say.

Using California workers’ compensation claims, the Workers Compensation Research Institute solely focused on the state. WCRI determined the state’s implementation of a heat standard in 2005 led to a 15% reduction in work-related injuries on hot days.

To read the full report in Bloomberg Law, click here.  (Scroll about half-way down the page.)

Visit our website for information on how to get a copy of WCRI's new study, Impact of California’s Heat Standard on Workers’ Compensation Outcomes.

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Daily Kos reports on the problem of workplace heat, and the issue of workplace heat standards:

USW, other unions and dozens of professional groups continue advocating for a national standard that would specify the steps all employers must take to protect workers from record and increasingly frequent heat waves associated with climate change.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) last year proposed a standard but hasn’t yet adopted it, even though heat contributes to tens of thousands of sicknesses and injuries annually...

A handful of states have their own heat standards in the absence of a national one, and a new study of California’s requirements underscores the effectiveness of mandatory cool-down periods and other simple, common-sense safety measures.

The study, published last week by the Workers Compensation Research Institute, focused on workers in agriculture, construction, transportation and other outdoor settings. It found that the standard reduced heat-related injuries by as much as 27 percent, with the strongest impact among workers 35 and under.

You can read the full article in Daily Kos here.

Visit our website for information on the WCRI study they cite: Impact of California’s Heat Standard on Workers’ Compensation Outcomes.

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Sacramento, CA (WorkersCompensation.com) — A new study from the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) finds that heat standards in California led to fewer work-related injuries on hot days.

The study, Impact of California’s Heat Standard on Workers’ Compensation Outcomes, looked at how California’s heat standard impacted the frequency of injuries in occupations with exposure to heat like construction, agriculture and transportation.

California is one of seven states, including Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, with heat standards for workers in heat-exposed jobs. California has standards for indoor and outdoor heat exposure and has triggers for extra protections at 80°F outdoors and 82°F indoors. The standards were implemented in 2005 after several agricultural workers died due to the heat. The emergency outdoor heat regulations were expanded to indoor workplaces in 2024.

You can read the full article here.

For information on how to download the new WCRI study on the California heat standard, please visit its page on our website!

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Louise Esola: "Workers compensation medical costs per claim rose 5% to 14% in recent years in most of 18 states examined by the Workers Compensation Research Institute.  For studies of 18 states, WCRI examined medical payments, prices and utilization overall, by provider, and by type of service, showing how these metrics have changed over time."

You can read the full article in Business Insurance here.

You can find information on WCRI's new edition of CompScope™ Medical Benchmarks, including how to get a copy and links to the individual state reports, on our website.

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IWP (Injured Workers' Pharmacy) mentions the recent release of CompScope™ Medical Benchmarks, 2025 Edition, in its quarterly newsletter. 

You can find information on downloading CompScope™ Medical Benchmarks elsewhere on our website.

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"Medical costs per claim have begun to rise following a period of relative stability post-pandemic, a new report shows.

"A Workers Compensation Research Institute report out this week shows medical payments per claim recently started increasing, fueled by an increase in medical utilization, medical prices, and updates to state fee schedules."

You can read the full article from Claims Journal here.

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Business Insurance: The workers compensation industry continues to grapple with the rise in the use of costlier topical medications for pain management.  

Some say the drugs pose health dangers and that abusive pricing practices fuel their proliferation in costs.

In 2022, the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission adopted a prescription topical medication cap and a prescription topical compound cap.

According to a 2024 report by the Workers Compensation Research Institute, South Carolina saw a significant reduction in payment shares for dermatological agents, decreasing from a peak of 55% in 2021 to 36% in the first quarter of 2023.

Read the full article here.  The study cited is "Interstate Variation and Trends in Workers’ Compensation Drug Payments, 5th Edition."  You can find information on how to get a copy on our website.

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Waltham, MA, October 9, 2025 — After a period of relative stability post-COVID, new studies from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) show that medical costs per claim have begun to rise.

“Medical payments per claim remained relatively stable, but recently, they started increasing, fueled by an increase in medical utilization, medical prices, and updates to state fee schedules,” said Sebastian Negrusa, WCRI vice president of research.

The studies, CompScope™ Medical Benchmarks, 2025 Edition, examine medical payments, prices, and utilization overall, by provider, and by type of service across 18 states, showing how these metrics have changed over time. Key findings from a few of the individual studies include the following:

• California: After several years of stable medical payments since 2018, California recently saw a 5% increase in medical payments per claim, with increases in payments per claim for several nonhospital services, including physical medicine services, contributing to that growth.
• Delaware: Medical payments per claim grew 7% per year between 2021 and 2023, driven by price increases in professional and hospital outpatient services. These trends align with Delaware’s fee schedule, which is adjusted based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U).
• Pennsylvania: Medical payments per claim for care provided to injured workers increased 14 percent in 2023 after years of decreases, reflecting, in part, larger recent annual updates to the state’s medical fee schedule, which is tied to the statewide average weekly wage.
• Wisconsin: Medical payments per claim grew 6% per year from 2021 to 2023 after years of small changes. Wisconsin, which has had some of the highest medical payments per claim among the study states, recently passed legislation introducing a medical fee schedule for hospital services.

The results reflect the experience of non-COVID-19 claims through March 2024. The 18 states in the study—Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin—represent about 60% of all workers’ compensation benefit payments nationwide.

The studies are free for members and available to nonmembers for a fee.

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WorkersCompensation.com examines the role of trust in workers' compensation cases, and cites WCRI's research on litigation in workers' comp.

Following a workplace injury, the injured worker, provider(s), payer, and employer must collaborate throughout the duration of the claim to ensure its successful resolution. For some claims, a fifth party - the attorney – is introduced. Is loss of trust a factor? The final article in this series will examine the assumptions, miscommunications, and judgments that often arise in litigated claims.

You can read the full article here.  

The WCRI study cited is "Avoiding Litigation: What Can Employers, Insurers, and State Workers’ Compensation Agencies Do?"  We've also done some recent studies on the issue of low back pain: see for example "Patterns and Trends of High-Cost Claims Involving Back and Shoulder Injuries."  You can find information on downloading both studies on our website.

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Politico's Ariel Wittenberg and Alex Nieves write that "California’s heat safety regulations are paying dividends for the state’s workers."

"The five states, including California, that had heat protections in 2023 saw their odds of workplace injuries increase 8 percent during heat waves that year, while the risk in states without rules was double that, according to a study released Monday by Harvard University and the George Washington University."

"The new data comes after the Workers Compensation Research Institute released a study last week that found California’s heat standard reduced workplace injuries by more than 15 percent on hot days in "high-exposure" industries like construction, agriculture and transportation."

You can read the full article here.  (Scroll down about halfway for the segment on the California Heat Standard.)

You can find information on how to download WCRI's study, "Impact of California’s Heat Standard on Workers’ Compensation Outcomes," on our website. 

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CalMatters reports:

Assembly Bill 1336, now awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature or veto, is the latest skirmish in a decades-long conflict over protecting workers from heat effects on their health, whether they work outdoors or inside.

The measure, if approved, would create a new legal presumption — that workers suffering from heat illness or injury would be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits if their employers failed to comply with standards set up to protect employees from heat effects.

As the issue of workplace heat simmers in California and other states, some federal agencies are pondering adopting heat-related protections for their employees. And a new study by the Massachusetts-based Workers Compensation Research Institute concluded that California’s pioneering regulations have had a dramatic effect on heat-related injuries and illnesses.

Read the full article here.

You can find more information on the WCRI study, "Impact of California’s Heat Standard on Workers’ Compensation Outcomes," on our website.

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Insurance Journal reviews WCRI's new study of the California Heat Standard:

California’s worker heat standards led to fewer work-related injuries on hot days, a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute found.
The WCRI study, Impact of California’s Heat Standard on Workers’ Compensation Outcomes, measured how California’s heat standard impacted the frequency of injuries in heat-exposed occupations like construction, agriculture and transportation.

You can read more from Insurance Journal here.  

Find out how to download the WCRI study, "Impact of California’s Heat Standard on Workers’ Compensation Outcomes," by visiting its page on our website!

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CLM: "As record-breaking heat waves become the norm, a new study from the Worker’s Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) finds that California’s heat standard has cut work-related injuries on hot days for industries with substantial exposure to outside heat. Since taking effect, the regulation has driven down injury rates in construction (15-17%), agriculture (24-27%), and transportation (19-25%)."

You can read more of CLM's review here.  

Visit our website for information on how to download the new WCRI study, "Impact of California’s Heat Standard on Workers’ Compensation Outcomes."

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Work Comp Central reviews WCRI's new study on the California Heat Standard.  Read more here (Requires subscription.)

You can find information on how to download the WCRI study, "Impact of California’s Heat Standard on Workers’ Compensation Outcomes," on our website.

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WorkCompWire: As more states adopt heat safety standards, a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that California’s 2005 heat standard led to fewer work-related injuries on hot days.

"WCRI noted that as local, state, and federal levels debate heat safety standards, the findings offer measurable evidence of how California’s policy reduced injury rates during extreme heat and offer relevant data. Key areas explored in this new study include how large the impact of the heat standard on injury frequency was in industries with outdoor heat exposure; whether the heat standard’s impact increases with higher temperatures; and whether the standard’s effects vary for younger versus older workers, and more."

Read more on this from WorkCompWire here.

You can find information on how to download the WCRI study, "Impact of California’s Heat Standard on Workers’ Compensation Outcomes," on our website.

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Business Insurance: California’s workplace heat standard, which requires access to water and shade and includes provisions for high heat and training, has resulted in fewer heat-related illnesses for several industry segments, according to the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute.
A WCRI study estimated that California’s heat standard, enacted in 2005 in a first in the country, resulted in a decline in work-related injuries on hot days for industries with “substantial exposure” to outside heat.

You can read Business Insurance's full review here. 

Find out how to download the WCRI study, "Impact of California’s Heat Standard on Workers’ Compensation Outcomes," by visiting its page on our website!

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Waltham, MA – Sept. 30, 2025 — As more states adopt heat safety standards, a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that California’s 2005 heat standard led to fewer work-related injuries on hot days.

“Policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels are debating heat safety standards. These findings offer measurable evidence of how California’s policy reduced injury rates during extreme heat and offer relevant data to inform the national conversation about worker protection,” said Ramona Tanabe, president and CEO of WCRI.

The study, Impact of California’s Heat Standard on Workers’ Compensation Outcomes, measured how California’s heat standard impacted the frequency of injuries in occupations with substantial exposure to outdoor heat, like construction, agriculture, and transportation. The heat standard requires employers to provide water, shade, rest breaks, acclimatization plans, and emergency response protocols during excessive heat.

The study also answers the following questions:

• How large is the impact of the heat standard on injury frequency in industries with outdoor heat exposure?
• Does the impact of the heat standard increase with higher temperatures?
• Does the impact of the heat standard vary for younger versus older workers?

Previous WCRI research found that excessive heat not only causes heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion but also impairs judgment and perception, increasing the risk of accidents such as being struck by machinery. Heat-related illnesses are 11 to 18 times more frequent on days above 95°F compared with days between 75 and 80°F, yet they represent 20 to 25 percent of all injuries attributable to heat.

The report is free for WCRI members and available for purchase by nonmembers at www.wcrinet.org. It was authored by Olesya Fomenko, Melissa McInerney, and Sebastian Negrusa.

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Responding to our recent webinar on Florida’s Workers’ Compensation System, Joe Paduda remarks,
"The brainiacs at the Workers Compensation Research Institute crammed more insights into a webinar than anyone could reasonably expect.
Ramona Tanabe and Rebecca Yang revealed new information on costs per claim, the health care workforce, the rapidly-growing problem of heat-related injuries, Florida work comp, the impact of co-morbidities on claims, and more."

You can read more here; and you can view this (free!) webinar at GoToWebinar.com.  To access the presentation slides, please visit our website.

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WorkersCompensation.com highlighted WCRI's webinar on "Highlights of Florida’s Workers’ Compensation System."

A recent WCRI webinar covered trends, costs, and, as you might expect for the Sunshine State, the role of hot temperatures in workplace injuries.

Addressing the trend of decreasing physicians and increasing demand for them, WCRI CEO Ramona Tanabe explored who's providing care.

"The average number of physicians per person has decreased, and there is increasing demand because of population growth and aging," Tanabe said.

You can read more here; and you can view this (free!) webinar at GoToWebinar.com.

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WorkCompCentral highlights WCRI's recent work on psychosocial factors in physical therapy and recovery.

As they note, "Psychosocial factors such as fear of movement, poor coping skills and low mood play a strong role in the recovery from knee and shoulder injuries, according to findings of a study released Thursday by the Workers Compensation Research Institute."

You can read their article here (Subscription required.)  

You can download WCRI's study, "Psychosocial Factors and Functional Outcomes Following Physical Therapy," on our website.

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Today’s issue of WorkCompRecap features the release of a new study from WCRI that found psychosocial factors such as fear of movement, poor coping skills, and low mood play a strong role in the recovery from knee and shoulder injuries, and that psychosocial risk factors are widespread and are associated with poorer functional recovery.  Read more from WorkCompWire here.

You can find information on how to get the WCRI study, "Psychosocial Factors and Functional Outcomes Following Physical Therapy," on our website.

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Business Insurance highlights WCRI's new work on psychosocial factors in physical therapy and recovery from workplace injuries.

As they note, "Psychosocial factors such as fear of movement, poor coping skills, and low mood play a strong role in the recovery from knee and shoulder injuries, according to findings of a study released Thursday by the Workers Compensation Research Institute."

Read more here.

You can download WCRI's study, "Psychosocial Factors and Functional Outcomes Following Physical Therapy," from our website.

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Claims Pages reviews WCRI's new study on psychosocial factors in physical therapy and recovery.

As they note:

A recent study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) reveals that psychosocial risk factors are playing a major role in delayed recovery for workers with knee and shoulder injuries. The research, which analyzed more than 65,000 physical therapy episodes between 2021 and 2024, found that many patients exhibit behavioral health barriers—such as fear of re-injury, poor coping skills, and symptoms of depression—that significantly reduce therapy effectiveness and slow return-to-work outcomes.

You can find the rest of their article here.

You can download WCRI's study, "Psychosocial Factors and Functional Outcomes Following Physical Therapy," from our website.

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Bob Wilson, Author of From Bob’s Cluttered Desk, reviews WCRI's new study on psychosocial factors (such as depression, fear, and poor coping skills) in physical therapy and recovery.

"For years, those of us in the workers’ compensation trenches have watched claims spiral out of control not because of the severity of the physical injury, but because of what’s happening between the injured worker’s ears. Now WCRI has done us all a favor by quantifying what every seasoned claims professional has suspected: psychosocial factors are rampant in workers’ comp claims, and they’re wreaking havoc on recovery outcomes."

"The new WCRI report, “Psychosocial Factors and Functional Outcomes Following Physical Therapy,” examines over 13,000 workers’ compensation patients with shoulder and knee injuries."

"The WCRI report doesn’t prescribe solutions, but it does something equally valuable—it provides hard data that makes it impossible to continue ignoring the elephant in the room. Or should I say, the elephant in the treatment room."

You can read the rest of Bob's take on our report on his blog.

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Carrier Management highlights WCRI's new study on how psychosocial factors (including depression, fear, and poor coping skills) affect recovery during and after physical therapy.

"Widespread among the studied patients, the behavioral impact of such factors is associated with poorer functional recovery," they note. "This finding could impact how insurers handle these types of claims in the future, with carriers potentially integrating behavioral screening at the onset of treatment through provider incentivization and claims staff training."

To read (or listen to!) their article, click here.

You can download WCRI's study, "Psychosocial Factors and Functional Outcomes Following Physical Therapy," from our website.

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Author Jon L. Gelman cites WCRI's work on New Jersey when discussing recent changes to the state's workers' compensation premiums.  He notes that "medical costs per claim in New Jersey remain higher than national averages, according to Workers Compensation Research Institute studies."  

You can read the full post, "NJ Workers' Compensation Premium Drops Again," on his blog.

The latest edition of CompScope™ Benchmarks for New Jersey can be downloaded from our website.  The next edition of CompScope™ Medical Benchmarks for New Jersey will be published next month.

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Waltham, MA – Sept. 18, 2025 — Psychosocial factors such as fear of movement, poor coping skills, and low mood play a strong role in the recovery from knee and shoulder injuries, according to a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI). The study finds psychosocial risk factors are widespread among injured workers with knee and shoulder injuries and are associated with poorer functional recovery.

”Behavioral health’s impact on recovery has been a hot topic in workers’ compensation recently. Psychosocial risk factors were front and center in discussions. Building on WCRI’s earlier findings of recovery from low back injuries, this new study extends the scope to include common musculoskeletal conditions,” said Sebastian Negrusa, WCRI’s vice president of research.

The study, Psychosocial Factors and Functional Outcomes Following Physical Therapy, addresses the following questions:

• How prevalent are psychosocial risk factors in knee and shoulder patients receiving physical therapy, particularly among workers’ compensation cases?
• Does the prevalence of these risk factors vary across different payor types (including private insurance) and patient groups?
• Do injured workers with and without psychosocial risk factors recover differently? How large is any difference? And do these relationships differ between workers’ compensation and other payors?

The study examines a large sample of patients with knee and shoulder pain using data from Focus on Therapeutic Outcomes (FOTO), collected from 2021 to 2024. The dataset for the study includes approximately 65,000 episodes each of knee and shoulder physical therapy. Among these, more than 8,000 shoulder and 5,000 knee episodes were covered under workers’ compensation. The large sample enables a robust examination of differences in psychosocial risks and functional outcomes by payor type.

The report is free for WCRI members and can be purchased by nonmembers here. The study was authored by Vennela Thumula, Te-Chun Liu, and Randall D. Lea.

ABOUT WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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The American Chiropractic Association reported today that back in June, Dr. Vern Saboe of the ACA cited WCRI's study, "Chiropractic Care for Workers with Low Back Pain” (2022) in testimony before the Oregon State MLAC Subcommittee on Access to Care.  As he notes, WCRI showed that, among 2 million claims across 28 states, injured workers treated exclusively by a chiropractor had substantially lower costs.  You can watch his testimony here.

You can download WCRI's study on Chiropractic Care from our website.

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WCRI's report on "Patterns and Trends of High-Cost Claims Involving Back and Shoulder Injuries" was reviewed in the Sept. 9 issue of Carrier Chronicles. As the authors observe, "A recent study released by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) identifies factors that increase the likelihood of high-cost claims involving back and shoulder injuries. We review their findings, including the specific conditions most at risk."

“High-cost claims do not just happen by chance; they develop over time through a combination of factors, like medical complexity and delayed recovery,” said Lisa Haug, Assistant Vice President of Medical Management at Safety National. “The earlier we recognize these patterns, the better positioned we are to control costs and improve injured worker outcomes.”

Read more about the WCRI study here.

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Waltham, MA, September 4, 2025 ― The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) will host a free, 45-minute webinar on Thursday, September 25, 2025, at 2 p.m. ET, to discuss the latest editions of CompScope™ Benchmarks for Florida and other recent WCRI research.

“The CompScope™ studies highlight key cost drivers, recent trends, and how Florida’s workers’ compensation system performs compared with other states. Other WCRI research provides valuable information on a variety of issues, such as recent changes in the medical workforce, the impact of comorbid conditions in workers’ compensation, and more. If you are an employer, insurer, policymaker, medical professional, or labor stakeholder in Florida, this webinar is a must-attend,” said Ramona Tanabe, WCRI president and CEO.

Topics Covered:

• The primary cost drivers and recent trends across various performance metrics in Florida’s workers’ compensation system.
• Performance comparisons between Florida and other states on medical payments and utilization, income benefits, and benefit delivery efficiency.
• Findings from WCRI research on the medical workforce, comorbid conditions, and more.

The 18 states in CompScope™ studies represent about 60 percent of all workers’ compensation benefits paid nationwide. Along with Florida, they include Arkansas, California, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

This is a FREE webinar. Attendance is limited to 500 people, and all attendees receive a free copy of the slides and a recording of the webinar. Click here to register now.

About WCRI:

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches. It provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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WCRI’s VP of Research, Sebastian Negrusa, joined attorneys Alan & Jud Pierce on the Workers’ Comp Matters podcast to discuss findings from WCRI's forthcoming study on the impact of excessive heat in the workplace.

As the podcast puts it, "What role does excessive heat in the workplace play in employee injuries? Turns out, it’s a lot. In temperatures of more than 90 degrees, the risk of injury on the job increases by a significant 5%-6%. Excessive heat, the study finds, impairs both cognitive and physical abilities, leaving workers more likely to make mental and physical errors and suffer injuries at work."

🎧Listen here.
A link to the WCRI study, "Impact of Excessive Heat on the Frequency of Work-Related Injuries," will be added here when it's published later this month.

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A recent WCRI report, "Patterns and Trends of High-Cost Claims Involving Back and Shoulder Injuries," was featured in a recent article in Risk & Insurance, "Late Medical Interventions Drive Workers’ Comp Costs as Back, Shoulder Claims Show Wide Cost Variation."

Here's an excerpt: "A comprehensive analysis of workers’ compensation claims reveals that late resource-intensive medical care is the primary driver of high-cost claims across seven common back and shoulder injury categories, with costs varying dramatically by specific injury type, according to a new study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute."

Read more about the WCRI study here.

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Workers' Comp Advisor reviews WCRI's new study on the key factors associated with high-cost workers’ compensation claims involving back and shoulder injuries, where medical expenses exceed $65,000 within 36 months of injury.

As they note, "The new study refines earlier analysis on all injuries by focusing on back and shoulder injuries to better understand what contributes to higher claim costs."

"The analysis is based on about 194,000 workers’ compensation claims with more than seven days of lost time, from 32 states. These claims involve injuries that occurred between Oct. 1, 2015, and March 31, 2019, with detailed treatment and billing data tracked for up to 36 months after the injury, through March 31, 2022."

You can read their full report here.

You can download the WCRI study, "Patterns and Trends of High-Cost Claims Involving Back and Shoulder Injuries," on our website.

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Waltham, MA – August 7, 2025 — A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) examines the key factors associated with high-cost workers’ compensation claims involving back and shoulder injuries, where medical expenses exceed $65,000 within 36 months of injury.

“In a previous WCRI study, we identified factors that increase the likelihood of high medical payments by looking at all injury types together,” said Sebastian Negrusa, WCRI’s vice president of research. “This new study refines that analysis by focusing on back and shoulder injuries to better understand what contributes to higher claim costs.”

The study looks at four back conditions (neurologic back pain; disc disorders; degenerative back conditions; and sprains, strains, and non-specific pain) and three shoulder injuries (rotator cuff disorders, frozen shoulders, and shoulder osteoarthritis).

Key questions the study explores include the following:

• How prevalent are high-cost claims for these injuries, and how do they compare in terms of medical costs and duration of temporary disability
• What characterizes high-cost claims versus other claims within each injury category?
• What factors are associated with elevated medical payments?
• How do degenerative conditions and comorbidities influence treatment choices and affect costs?

The analysis is based on about 194,000 workers’ compensation claims with more than seven days of lost time, from 32 states. These claims involve injuries that occurred between October 1, 2015, and March 31, 2019, with detailed treatment and billing data tracked for up to 36 months after the injury, through March 31, 2022.

The full report, Patterns and Trends of High-Cost Claims Involving Back and Shoulder Injuries, is authored by Dongchun Wang, Kathryn L. Mueller, and Randall D. Lea. It is available to WCRI members and can be purchased by nonmembers at www.wcrinet.org.

ABOUT WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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Carrier Management reviews WCRI's study "Advanced Practitioners and Workers’ Compensation Claim Outcomes" (Savych and Fomenko, 2025).

As the article notes, this "newly released decade-long study...indicates that claims initiated by nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) didn’t lead to negative outcomes and suggested some benefits when compared to those led by primary care physicians (PCPs)."

You can read (or listen to) CM's article here.  For more on WCRI's study, including how to order copies, please visit the page on our website.

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Waltham, MA – July 24, 2025 – As the shortage of primary care physicians grows, more injured workers are receiving initial care from advanced practitioners—nurse practitioners and physician assistants. A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) asks a timely question: Does it make a difference?

“There’s growing interest in understanding how provider type influences outcomes,” said Sebastian Negrusa, WCRI’s vice president of research. “Some worry that advanced practitioners may lack the specialized experience to manage certain injuries. This study sheds light on how care provided by nurse practitioners and physician assistants shapes patterns of care and claim outcomes.”

WCRI tested these concerns by comparing claim outcomes when the initial provider was an advanced practitioner versus a physician. Key measures included the following:

• Time to first nonemergency office visit
• Number of medical visits
• Use and timing of specialty care
• MRI use within six weeks
• Medical and indemnity payments
• Duration of temporary disability

The analysis for the study, Advanced Practitioners and Workers’ Compensation Claim Outcomes, draws on detailed claims and medical data from 29 states, covering over 80 percent of workers’ compensation benefits paid in 2022. It includes injuries from October 1, 2012, to September 30, 2022, and tracks outcomes up to 6 or 12 months postinjury.

The full report, authored by Bogdan Savych and Olesya Fomenko, is available to WCRI members and for purchase by nonmembers.

ABOUT WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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Business Insurance notes that "Advanced-care practitioners treated injured workers in 37% of nonemergency visits for evaluation and management, more than double the 18% reported in 2013, according to the Workers Compensation Research Institute."

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You can download the WCRI report, "Advanced Practitioners and Workers’ Compensation Claim Outcomes," on our website.

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CLM highlights WCRI's recent study of the effects of high inflation on medical payments in workers’ compensation.

"During the recent period of high inflation in the general economy, states experienced varying rates in growth in workers’ compensation medical prices depending on what methods were used to update workers’ compensation fee schedules, according to a WCRI analysis. The research—which examines how the high inflation period between 2021 and 2023 has affected medical payments in workers’ compensation in 2025—indicates that, since the summer of 2022 through the first quarter of 2025, the general inflation rate has been slowing down, after two years (2021-2022) of substantial growth in prices."

Read CLM's full review here. 

You can download the WCRI study, "Post-Inflation Trends in Medical Payments Through 2025—A WCRI FlashReport," on our website.

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Joe Paduda of Managed Care Matters writes on climate change's financial costs, especially in the workers' compensation sector—and on WCRI's leadership in bringing the effects of high heat on workers' comp. to national attention.

He cites in particular "WCRI research showing hotter temps drive more claims" and "WCRI’s leadership in researching potential impact of heat on workers’ comp."

Read more of Paduda's piece here.

You can download the recent WCRI study "Heat-Related Illnesses in the Workplace—A WCRI FlashReport" on our website.

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It may come as no surprise that heat-related worker injury claims rise on hot days, but the magnitude of the increase is an eye-opener.

As temperatures skyrocketed during early summer heat waves across the United States, the Workers Compensation Research Institute put out a webinar digging into the WCRI’S recent report on heat-related illnesses in the workplace.

To read (or listen to) this report from Insurance journal, click here.  The WCRI study that they highlight is "Heat-Related Illnesses in the Workplace."

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Healthesystems featured WCRI's study on Designing Workers’ Compensation Medical Fee Schedules in the "Insights" section of its website.  As they note, this study "outlines the key decisions public officials face when establishing or revising physician fee schedules."  Read their take on WCRI's report here.

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WCRI's Annual Conference is back in 2026! The conference will take place March 3-4, 2026 at the Westin Copley Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts. 

Registration will open up in the coming months. We'll see you there!

In the meantime, check out some of the highlights from our 2025 conference in Phoenix.

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Waltham, MA – July 8, 2025 – A new study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) identifies detailed factors associated with high-cost claims involving rotator cuff disorders, based on an analysis of clinical characteristics and treatment patterns specific to these injuries.

“This study offers a deeper understanding of how various levels of rotator cuff tears and their surgical patterns contribute to elevated medical costs. From a medical and claims management perspective, these are challenging injuries, and the study’s results could inform effective care strategies and resource utilization,” said Sebastian Negrusa, WCRI’s vice president of research.

The study, Patterns and Trends of High-Cost Claims Involving Rotator Cuff Disorders, examined the association between condition-specific factors and the likelihood of a claim becoming high cost (defined as medical payments exceeding $65,000 within 36 months of injury).

The following are among the questions the study addresses:

• What are the specific factors contributing to high medical payments for rotator cuff injuries?  
• Are patterns of medical care consistent with guideline recommendations and expected medical practice regarding timing of surgery and pre- and postoperative nonsurgical treatments?
• To what extent do degenerative conditions and comorbidities influence treatment decisions and contribute to elevated costs?

The analysis is based on nearly 50,000 rotator cuff disorder claims drawn from a dataset of over 930,000 lost-time claims across 32 states. These claims involved injuries occurring between October 2015 and March 2019, with medical billing and treatment data tracked for three years postinjury.

The full report is available to WCRI members and can be purchased by nonmembers at www.wcrinet.org. The report was authored by Dongchun Wang, Randall D. Lea, and Kathryn L. Mueller.

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In this WCRI Member Spotlight, we speak with Nancy Kelly of Averitt Express—a leading transportation and logistics provider with 140 service centers and over 8,000 employees across more than 21 states. Nancy shares how she discovered WCRI, the value she finds in membership, her favorite research, and how she’s applied it in her work.

For the past 15 years, Nancy has served as a risk and nurse case manager at Averitt, overseeing workers’ compensation, disability management, and OSHA reporting. She is a registered nurse with both a bachelor’s and master’s in nursing and holds certifications as an Occupational Health Nurse Specialist and Case Manager.

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Waltham, MA, June 30, 2025 – A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) sheds light on how the high-inflation period of 2021–2023 has influenced medical payments in workers’ compensation up to 2025, focusing especially on states that link their medical fee schedules to general economic inflation measures.

“With more data now available, we are better equipped to understand how the high inflation from 2021 to 2023 has affected medical costs in workers’ compensation and how different fee schedule update methods influence these outcomes,” said Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research at WCRI. “This knowledge is relevant as policymakers and stakeholders address ongoing inflationary pressures.”

The study, Post-Inflation Trends in Medical Payments Through 2025—A WCRI FlashReport, examines how inflation and state fee schedule update methods—from general economic indexes like the Consumer Price Index and wage measures to medical-specific indexes like the Producer Price Index for health care services—have influenced medical cost growth in workers’ compensation since 2020. While general health care prices rose steadily at about 3 percent annually, the study explores why workers’ compensation payments showed greater variation across states.

The following are some of the questions the study addresses:

• How did workers’ compensation medical payments change following the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, and what drove those changes?
• Why did prices for nonhospital professional services in workers’ compensation grow faster in most states after 2021?
• What happened to the growth of workers’ compensation fee schedule rates for nonhospital professional services as general inflation slowed between 2023 and 2025?
• What factors contributed to the increase in ambulatory surgery center (ASC) and hospital payments between 2021 and 2023?
• How do fee schedules affect the growth of medical prices in workers’ compensation, particularly for nonhospital and hospital outpatient services?

This report draws on data from multiple sources. General and health care inflation figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Workers’ compensation data are based on WCRI’s CompScope™ studies and the Detailed Benchmark/Evaluation database, which includes claims from insurers, state funds, and self-insured employers. Nonhospital price trends are measured using WCRI’s Medical Price Index for Workers’ Compensation, and hospital outpatient trends are based on WCRI’s Hospital Outpatient Payment Index. Information on fee schedules is drawn from WCRI’s 2025 fee schedule study, RefMed® data, and Medicare data. The analysis spans trends from 2012 through 2025.

For more information about this report or to download a copy, visit www.wcrinet.org. The report was authored by Dr. Rebecca Yang and Dr. Olesya Fomenko.

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In this free, 30-minute webinar held on June 26, 2025, author and senior policy analyst Dr. Vennela Thumula discussed WCRI's recent research, Heat-Related Illnesses in the Workplace, on the connection between high temperatures and heat-related illnesses (HRIs) in the workplace.

The webinar addressed the following questions:

• What is the effect of excessive heat on HRIs versus broader heat-related accidents?
• What role does geographic region play in the frequency of HRI claims?
• Are certain age groups, genders, or industries more at risk?
• How does job tenure—particularly two or fewer months on the job—influence the likelihood of HRIs?

The study draws on data from WCRI’s Detailed Benchmark/Evaluation (DBE) database, which includes workers’ compensation claims from various insurers, state funds, and self-insured employers across 31 U.S. states—accounting for approximately 80 percent of national workers’ compensation benefits. Temperature data were used alongside claims data to assess patterns and risk factors associated with excessive heat.

Click here to watch. 

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Waltham, MA, June 25, 2025 — A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) examines how stakeholders view the promises and challenges of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workers’ compensation system.

“In recent years, interest in the role of artificial intelligence in workers’ compensation has grown rapidly,” said Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research at WCRI. “This study is an important step toward understanding how stakeholders are approaching the opportunities and risks associated with these emerging technologies.”

To develop the study, WCRI researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 34 leaders across 20 organizations—including employers, insurers, medical providers, worker advocates, and regulators—supplemented by informal discussions. They also reviewed literature and regulations on AI developments and applications.

The key questions asked in the interviews included:

• How do you define AI and its role in the economy and the workers’ compensation system?
• Where do you see the value of AI tools for your job, your organization, and the system?
• What challenges and risks do you foresee with broader AI adoption, and how can these be mitigated?

By outlining current and emerging uses of AI in workers’ compensation and identifying risks and potential guardrails, the study, Artificial Intelligence in Workers’ Compensation: An Overview of Promises and Challenges, aims to provide a common language for stakeholders and inform policy discussions to promote responsible AI use that improves injured workers’ recovery and experience.

The authors of the study are Bogdan Savych and Vennela Thumula.

ABOUT WCRI:

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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Waltham, MA, June 20, 2025 – As policymakers seek to implement or revise price controls in their state workers’ compensation systems through medical fee schedules, a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) highlights the critical design choices involved in adopting, reforming, and updating them.

“The construction of a medical fee schedule in workers’ compensation involves a delicate balance,” said Sebastian Negrusa, WCRI’s vice president of research. “Setting rates too low may make treating injured workers uneconomical for providers and jeopardize access to care. On the other hand, setting rates too high may limit savings and undermine the fee schedule’s cost-containment goals.”

The study, Designing Workers’ Compensation Medical Fee Schedules, 2025, outlines key decisions public officials face when crafting or updating physician fee schedules. It examines how 44 states and the District of Columbia with fee schedules have addressed these challenges as of March 31, 2025, and discusses substantial changes to professional medical service fee schedules since March 2022, focusing on the spillover effect of the relatively high inflation in the general economy. These decisions include the following:

• How high or low the fee schedule should be set
• How frequently fee schedules should be updated and which update approach to adopt
• Whether to base the fee schedule on relative value units (RVUs) or another metric (e.g., historical charges or usual and customary charges)
• If using RVUs, whether to adopt the relative values developed for the Medicare program or another scale
• What share of medical services are without assigned fee schedule rates and how these services should be reimbursed

The study compares fee schedule levels across states for professional services, which account for about 41 percent of workers’ compensation medical costs. It does not assess appropriate rate levels or explore broader policy impacts, such as access to care or patterns of medical utilization.

Click here for more information about this study or to purchase a copy. The authors of the study are Olesya Fomenko and Te-Chun Liu.

ABOUT WCRI:

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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From stress and burnout to substance use disorders, this Travelers Institute session provided a comprehensive framework for understanding mental health as a continuum. Dr. Jerome M. Adams, the 20th U.S. Surgeon General and Executive Director of Purdue University’s Health Equity Initiatives and Center for Community Health Enhancement and Learning, was joined by Ramona Tanabe, President and CEO of the Workers Compensation Research Institute, and Rich Ives, Senior Vice President, Business Insurance Claims at Travelers. This expert panel shared insights on how organizations can proactively identify and implement the necessary resources to support mental health and effectively connect employees to these resources. Additionally, they discussed the latest trends in workers compensation programs and their role in the broader context of employee well-being. We had an engaging conversation as we discussed how to raise awareness and develop actionable plans to address mental health in your workplace.

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Short-tenure workers with less than two years of experience continue to account for the largest share of workers' compensation claims in New Jersey, according to the Workers Compensation Research Institute.

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Waltham, MA, June 10, 2025 – Short-tenure workers, meaning those with less than two years of job tenure, continued to account for the largest share of workers’ compensation claims in New Jersey, and that share has grown since 2021, according to a recent study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI).

“New hires, and shorter-tenure workers more broadly, have grown as a share of the workforce, and of claims, particularly since 2021. Their wages, too, have been growing faster than most other tenure groups, particularly new hires with less than a year on the job, and are a major contributor to the state’s 10 percent annual indemnity growth as of late,” said Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research for WCRI. “Thus, New Jersey provides an effective microcosm of the national labor market trends post-pandemic.”

The following are some other findings from the study:

• Medical payments per claim in New Jersey increased by over 13 percent in 2023, largely driven by high-cost medical claims of over $100,000.
• Total costs per claim in New Jersey remained typical of study states, with higher-than-typical medical and benefit delivery expenses but lower indemnity benefits despite recent growth.

The CompScope™ Benchmarks for New Jersey, 2025 Edition offers an annual overview of changes in indemnity benefits, medical payments, and benefit delivery expenses per claim. It also compares the New Jersey workers’ compensation system with those in 17 other states across these key metrics. The study covers claims through March 2024, focusing on non-COVID-19 claims and examining the effects of pandemic-related disruptions and labor market shifts from 2019 to 2023.

The report was authored by Evelina Radeva.

ABOUT WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in late 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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WCRI is on the ball.

A webinar on Heat-Related Illnesses in the Workplace is scheduled for June 26; register here. Space is limited so don’t get left out in the blazing sun.

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Waltham, MA, June 5, 2025 — With summer approaching, the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is hosting a free, 30-minute webinar on Thursday, June 26, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. ET to share recent research on the connection between high temperatures and heat-related illnesses (HRIs) in the workplace.

“With 2024 confirmed as the hottest year on record, these findings are especially timely as cities and states adopt heat safety regulations,” said Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research at WCRI. “The data also show that excessive heat increases the frequency of other injuries.”

The webinar will cover key findings from WCRI’s recent study, Heat-Related Illnesses in the Workplace, which explores questions such as the following:

• What is the effect of excessive heat on HRIs versus broader heat-related accidents?
• What role does geographic region play in the frequency of HRI claims?
• Are certain age groups, genders, or industries more at risk?
• How does job tenure—particularly two or fewer months on the job—influence the likelihood of HRIs?

The study draws on data from WCRI’s Detailed Benchmark/Evaluation (DBE) database, which includes workers’ compensation claims from various insurers, state funds, and self-insured employers across 31 U.S. states—accounting for approximately 80 percent of national workers’ compensation benefits. Temperature data were used alongside claims data to assess patterns and risk factors associated with excessive heat.

Space is limited to 500 attendees. All registrants will receive a copy of the slides and a recording of the session. Click here to register.

About WCRI:

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches. It provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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One of the best free workers' comp info sources on medical pricing nationwide was published in May by the Workers Compensation Research Institute. The authors of the study are Rebecca Yang and Olesya Fomenko.

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Jack Nolish, director of Michigan's Workers Disability Compensation Agency, shares how WCRI’s research supports his work by providing valuable comparative data. He discusses how studies like CompScope and national workers' comp laws help him better understand Michigan’s position, inform discussions on workers' compensation reform, and provide useful insights for policymakers. If you're interested in how WCRI’s research helps stakeholders make informed decisions, this interview offers a great perspective.

To learn more about the benefits of membership, visit https://www.wcrinet.org/member....

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According to the National Safety Council, the Workers Compensation Research Institute found a pattern of heat-related illness incidents across the United States from 2013 to 2020 in worker compensation data.

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Waltham, MA, May 29, 2025 – As policymakers nationwide focus on the rising costs of health care, a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) reveals that hospital outpatient payments for workers’ compensation grew faster in states with fee schedules based on a percentage of hospital charges and in states without fee schedules.

“This study provides meaningful state comparisons at a time when many are considering or revising hospital fee regulations,” said Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research at WCRI. “It offers a clear, evidence-based perspective on how different regulatory approaches influence cost growth and payment levels.”

The report, Hospital Outpatient Payment Index: Interstate Variations and Policy Analysis, 14th Edition, analyzes payments for common outpatient surgeries across 36 states, representing 88 percent of the nation’s workers’ compensation benefits. Covering data from 2005 to 2023, the study also compares workers’ compensation hospital payments to Medicare rates.

The following are among the major findings:

• Faster growth in states with charge-based fee regulations and in non-fee schedule states: From 2011 to 2023, growth in outpatient payments for common surgeries reached 61–81 percent among states with charge-based fee schedules, and 55–88 percent in non-fee schedule states, substantially higher than 24 percent in the median fixed-amount fee schedule state.
• Higher payments in states without fee schedules: Outpatient payments were 63 to 154 percent higher than the median of states with fixed-amount fee schedules. In these states, workers’ compensation paid $7,550 to $22,002 more per surgical episode than Medicare.
• Percent-of-charge states cost more: States like Alabama and Louisiana, using percent-of-charge-based fee schedules, paid 83 to 233 percent more than states with fixed-amount fee schedules.

• Wide variation vs. Medicare: Average workers’ compensation payments for a common group of outpatient surgeries ranged from 40 percent below Medicare in Nevada to 480 percent above in Alabama.

The report also tracks the impact of recent policy reforms. In May 2023, Florida expanded its fixed-amount fee schedule by eliminating charge-based reimbursement for unlisted procedures. This policy change led to a 6 percent decrease in hospital outpatient payments per surgical episode within the same year.

Click here for more information or to download the full report. The study was authored by Dr. Olesya Fomenko and Dr. Rebecca Yang.

ABOUT WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in late 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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Waltham, MA, May 29, 2025 – As policymakers nationwide focus on the rising costs of health care, a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) reveals that hospital outpatient payments for workers’ compensation grew faster in states with fee schedules based on a percentage of hospital charges and in states without fee schedules.

“This study provides meaningful state comparisons at a time when many are considering or revising hospital fee regulations,” said Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research at WCRI. “It offers a clear, evidence-based perspective on how different regulatory approaches influence cost growth and payment levels.”

The report, Hospital Outpatient Payment Index: Interstate Variations and Policy Analysis, 14th Edition, analyzes payments for common outpatient surgeries across 36 states, representing 88 percent of the nation’s workers’ compensation benefits. Covering data from 2005 to 2023, the study also compares workers’ compensation hospital payments to Medicare rates.

The following are among the major findings:

• Faster growth in states with charge-based fee regulations and in non-fee schedule states: From 2011 to 2023, growth in outpatient payments for common surgeries reached 61–81 percent among states with charge-based fee schedules, and 55–88 percent in non-fee schedule states, substantially higher than 24 percent in the median fixed-amount fee schedule state.
• Higher payments in states without fee schedules: Outpatient payments were 63 to 154 percent higher than the median of states with fixed-amount fee schedules. In these states, workers’ compensation paid $7,550 to $22,002 more per surgical episode than Medicare.
• Percent-of-charge states cost more: States like Alabama and Louisiana, using percent-of-charge-based fee schedules, paid 83 to 233 percent more than states with fixed-amount fee schedules.

• Wide variation vs. Medicare: Average workers’ compensation payments for a common group of outpatient surgeries ranged from 40 percent below Medicare in Nevada to 480 percent above in Alabama.

The report also tracks the impact of recent policy reforms. In May 2023, Florida expanded its fixed-amount fee schedule by eliminating charge-based reimbursement for unlisted procedures. This policy change led to a 6 percent decrease in hospital outpatient payments per surgical episode within the same year.

Click here for more information or to download the full report. The study was authored by Dr. Olesya Fomenko and Dr. Rebecca Yang.

ABOUT WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in late 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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Waltham, MA, May 27, 2025 – A recent study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that total costs per workers’ compensation claim in Virginia changed little in recent years and have grown less than the typical state of the 18-state study sample.

“This slow growth in Virginia reflects little change in medical payments per claim after the state implemented a medical fee schedule in 2018,” said Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research for WCRI. “The other components of costs were growing similarly to what we observe in other study states.”

Key findings from the study include:

• Increases in wages and duration of temporary disability were the main reasons behind increases in Virginia indemnity benefits per claim since 2022.
• All components of benefit delivery expenses contributed to the increases in that category in Virginia in 2023, including medical-legal expenses, medical cost containment expenses, and litigation fees.

CompScope™ Benchmarks for Virginia, 2025 Edition, offers an overview of trends in workers’ compensation indemnity benefits, medical payments, and benefit delivery expenses per claim. It also compares workers’ compensation systems in Virginia and 17 other states across these key metrics. The study covers claims through March 2024, focusing on non-COVID-19 claims and examining the effects of pandemic-related disruptions and labor market shifts from 2019 to 2023.

The report was authored by Bogdan Savych.

ABOUT WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in late 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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Waltham, MA, May 22, 2025 – Workers’ compensation costs per claim in Minnesota rose about 10 percent annually from 2021 to 2023, following stability during the first two years of the pandemic, according to a recent report from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI). Rising wages, longer duration of temporary disability, and increased medical payments per claim were the main drivers of this recent cost growth.

“Minnesota is not alone in seeing growth in overall costs per claim from 2021 to 2023,” said Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research at WCRI. “Nearly all study states experienced cost growth since 2021, after cost decreases or stability in the prior two years. Changes in the availability of medical services and labor market conditions during the early COVID-19 pandemic and the more recent recovery period were the main factors behind this general trend.”

The following are some other findings from the study:

• Total costs per claim in Minnesota were lower than typical among the study states for claims with more than seven days of lost time and 36 months of experience.
• Benefit delivery expenses per claim increased in 2023, driven by growth in both expenses for managing medical costs and litigation-related expenses.

CompScope™ Benchmarks for Minnesota, 2025 Edition provides a comprehensive analysis of recent trends in indemnity benefits, medical payments, and benefit delivery expenses per claim. It also compares Minnesota’s workers’ compensation system with 17 other states on these key metrics. The study covers claims through March 2024, focusing on non-COVID-19 claims and examining the effects of pandemic-related disruptions and labor market shifts from 2019 to 2023.

The report was authored by Rebecca Yang.

ABOUT WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in late 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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Waltham, MA – The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) recently released the 2025 edition of its annual study, WCRI Medical Price Index for Workers’ Compensation, 17th Edition (MPI-WC). This analysis compares prices paid for workers’ compensation medical services across 36 states and over time, while also showing how rising inflation has affected the system in recent years.

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Waltham, MA, May 20, 2025 —The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) has released the 2025 edition of its annual study, WCRI Medical Price Index for Workers’ Compensation, 17th Edition (MPI-WC). This analysis compares prices paid for workers’ compensation medical services across 36 states and over time, while also showing how rising inflation has affected the system in recent years.

"This study found that many states experienced faster growth in prices paid for workers’ compensation medical professional services from 2021 to 2024 compared with earlier years," said Ramona Tanabe, WCRI’s president and CEO. “This trend is due to, among other things, higher inflation in the general economy over the last few years. This was especially the case for states that update their fee schedules based on all-price indexes, rather than on medical price indexes.”

The study focuses on comparing prices paid for medical professional services across states, helping policymakers and stakeholders assess whether price growth is a national trend or specific to their state. Services analyzed include evaluation and management, physical medicine, surgery, radiology, neurological testing, pain management injections, and emergency care—typically billed by physicians, physical therapists, and chiropractors. Additionally, the study examines how fee schedules and network participation influence price trends, providing valuable insights into price regulation.

Other key findings from the study include:

• Price Variations Across States: Prices for professional services varied significantly, ranging from 33 percent below the 36-state median in Florida to 172 percent above the median in Wisconsin in 2024.
• Impact of Fee Schedules: States with no fee schedules had prices 35 to 177 percent higher than states with fee schedules in 2024.
• Price Growth Trends: Most states without fee schedules saw faster growth in prices for professional services from 2008 to 2024, with a median growth rate of 40 percent, compared with 15 percent in states with fee schedules.
• Fee Schedule Changes: The study provides insights on price changes following major fee schedule updates, examining both overall price shifts and changes by service type.

This edition expands the growth rate analysis over a 17-year period, from 2008 to 2024, and presents price index comparisons for 2023 and 2024 across the 36 study states. The 2024 results are based on price data collected from the first half of the year, up until June 30, 2024. The 36 states included represent 88 percent of workers' compensation benefits paid in the United States.

To download a free copy of the report, visit WCRI’s website at www.wcrinet.org. The study was authored by Dr. Rebecca Yang and Dr. Olesya Fomenko.

About WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches. It provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts that conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers, insurers, governmental entities, managed care companies, health care providers, insurance regulators, state labor organizations, and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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In this free, 30-minute webinar held on Thursday, June 5, 2025, Evelina Radeva discussed findings from WCRI's CompScope™ Benchmarks for Delaware, 2025 Edition. 

Key Questions Addressed:

• How does Delaware’s workers’ compensation system compare with 17 other states?
• How has the performance of Delaware’s workers’ compensation system changed between 2018 and 2023?

This edition analyzes Delaware workers’ compensation claims from 2018 to 2023 (evaluated as of March 2024), providing both current data and longer-term context. The study also incorporates findings from recent WCRI research and focuses on non-COVID-19 claims to assess the effects of the pandemic on system performance.

Click here to watch.

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Waltham, MA, May 15, 2025 ― The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) will host a free, 30-minute webinar on Thursday, June 5, 2025, at 2 p.m. ET, focusing on findings from its CompScope™ Benchmarks for Delaware, 2025 Edition. The study’s lead author, Evelina Radeva, will discuss Delaware’s workers’ compensation system and its performance relative to other states.

“The study provides policymakers and other system stakeholders in Delaware with ongoing annual monitoring of changes in indemnity benefits, medical payments, and benefit delivery expenses per claim. It also compares the Delaware workers’ compensation system with 17 other study states on these key metrics,” said Sebastian Negrusa, WCRI’s vice president of research.

Key Questions Addressed:

• How does Delaware’s workers’ compensation system compare with 17 other states?
• How has the performance of Delaware’s workers’ compensation system changed between 2018 and 2023?

This edition analyzes Delaware workers’ compensation claims from 2018 to 2023 (evaluated as of March 2024), providing both current data and longer-term context. The study also incorporates findings from recent WCRI research and focuses on non-COVID-19 claims to assess the effects of the pandemic on system performance.

Attendance is limited to 500 participants. All registrants will receive a copy of the webinar slides and a recording of the session. Click here to register now.

About WCRI:

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches. It provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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The Workers Compensation Research Institute said recent changes in overall costs per claim in Florida in 2022 and 2023 were largely the result of wage growth.

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Waltham, MA, May 13, 2025 – The recent changes in overall costs per claim in 2022 and 2023 in Florida were largely due to wage growth, according to a recent study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI). In contrast, medical payments per claim were stable from 2020 to 2023 following a decrease in 2020, mainly driven by decreases in utilization of medical services due to pandemic-related factors.

“With stability in medical payments, wage growth in recent years has been the most influential factor on changes in Florida’s total costs per claim,” said Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research for WCRI. “The state’s experience primarily reflects the tight labor market during the economic recovery from the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The following are some other findings from the study:

• Florida ranked in the middle of the study states on all components of total costs, namely medical payments, indemnity benefits, and benefit delivery expenses per claim.
• Typical medical payments per claim in Florida mask offsetting components: the lowest prices for nonhospital care and the highest prices for hospital outpatient services of the study states.

CompScope™ Benchmarks for Florida, 2025 Edition provides a comprehensive analysis of recent trends in indemnity benefits, medical payments, and benefit delivery expenses per claim. It also compares Florida’s workers’ compensation system with 17 other states on these key metrics. The study covers claims through March 2024, focusing on non-COVID-19 cases and examining the impact of pandemic-related disruptions and labor market shifts from 2019 to 2023.

The report was authored by Rebecca Yang and is available for download at https://www.wcrinet.org/reports/compscope-benchmarks-for-florida-2025-edition.

ABOUT WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in late 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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Waltham, MA, May 6, 2025 – A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) finds that total costs per workers’ compensation claim in Delaware remain stable. These costs include three components: indemnity payments for lost wages, medical expenses, and benefit delivery expenses.

“Delaware ranks near the middle of the 18 study states in terms of total costs per claim,” said Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research at WCRI. “This reflects a mix of lower-than-typical medical payments, typical indemnity benefits, and higher benefit delivery expenses.”

The following are some other findings from the study:

• Higher benefit delivery expenses were primarily driven by more frequent and more costly litigation.
• Total costs per claim increased after 2020, mostly due to increases in duration of temporary disability and workers’ wages.

The CompScope™ Benchmarks for Delaware, 2025 Edition offers an annual overview of changes in indemnity benefits, medical payments, and benefit delivery expenses per claim. It also compares Delaware’s workers’ compensation system with those in 17 other states across these key metrics. The study covers claims through March 2024, focusing on non-COVID-19 claims and examining the effects of pandemic-related disruptions and labor market shifts from 2019 to 2023.

The report was authored by Evelina Radeva and is available for download at https://www.wcrinet.org/reports/compscope-benchmarks-for-delaware-2025-edition.

ABOUT WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in late 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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Claim frequency increased by an average of 7.7% in states after the adoption of recreational cannabis laws, according to a new study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute. 

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Today’s issue of WorkCompRecap features the release of the latest edition of WCRI’s CompScope Benchmarks reports, which provide ongoing annual monitoring of how indemnity benefits, medical payments, and benefit delivery expenses in 18 states compare and how they have changed over time.

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Waltham, MA, April 30, 2025 – As more states adopt recreational marijuana laws (RMLs), a new study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) examines changes in workers’ compensation claim frequency and outcomes such as per-claim medical payments, indemnity benefits, temporary disability duration, and prescription drug utilization and costs.

"This research is important as marijuana use continues to rise," said Ramona Tanabe, president and CEO of WCRI. "Our study highlights the complex effects RMLs have on work injury risk and workers' compensation claim costs. This information is relevant for policymakers, insurance carriers, medical providers, labor advocates, and employers as they navigate these evolving challenges."

The study, Impact of Recreational Marijuana Laws on Workers’ Compensation Benefits, answers key questions:

• How did the adoption of RMLs affect overall workers' compensation claim frequency?
• Were the effects different among younger workers, or those in safety-sensitive or physically demanding jobs?
• What impact did RMLs have on medical payments per claim?
• Were there changes in prescription drug use due to RMLs, including opioids?
• Did RMLs affect indemnity benefits and disability duration?
• Did the impact of RMLs on these outcomes change over time?

The study’s findings can inform debates on issues such as marijuana rescheduling, occupational treatment guidelines, state THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) regulations, or marijuana taxes. The analysis covers 31 states, using data from workers' compensation claims filed between October 2012 and March 2022.

Click here for more information or to purchase a copy of the study. It was authored by Vennela Thumula, Johanna Catherine MacLean, David Powell, and Sebastian Negrusa.

ABOUT WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

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Recent studies by the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) and the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) shed light on the significant risks posed by heat-related illnesses (HRIs). These findings underscore the need for comprehensive measures to protect workers from excessive heat and other extreme weather.

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Indemnity benefits and medical costs per workers compensation claim grew in most states since 2021, according to research reports released Monday by the Workers Compensation Research Institute.

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Waltham, MA, April 28, 2025―Total costs per workers’ compensation claim rose between 2 and 14 percent annually from 2021 to 2023 across 18 states, according to a new set of studies from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI).

“Total cost per claim is a widely used measure for policymakers and system stakeholders to gauge how their system is performing compared to other states. It combines three components—indemnity benefits for lost wages, medical payments, and benefit delivery expenses per claim,” said Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research at WCRI. “While it’s a key metric, it’s just one of many measures that these studies track to provide a comprehensive view of system performance.”

The increase across the board in total costs per claim reflects changes in access to medical services and labor market conditions since the early pandemic years, particularly the recent rise in short-tenure workers as a share of claims. Although all states showed an upward trend in total costs per claim, the measure masks important nuances:

• Delaware: Total costs per claim increased 7 percent per year in Delaware from 2021 to 2023, primarily driven by rapid growth in wages and temporary disability duration.
• Florida: Wage growth in Florida accelerated in 2022 and then moderated in 2023, cooling the increases in indemnity benefits and resulting in growth of 4.5 percent per year in total costs per claim.
• Minnesota: Total costs per claim in Minnesota grew 10 percent per year from 2021 to 2023, mainly driven by increases in wages, duration of temporary disability, and medical payments per claim.
• New Jersey: Costs per claim in New Jersey increased about 8 percent annually from 2021 to 2023, largely driven by wage growth, especially for new hires and short-tenure workers.
• Virginia: The 7.4 percent average growth in Virginia total costs per claim since 2021 was driven by increasing indemnity benefits and benefit delivery expenses per claim, but partially offset by declining medical payments.

The studies, CompScope™ Benchmarks, 2025 Edition, provide ongoing annual monitoring of how indemnity benefits, medical payments, and benefit delivery expenses in 18 states compare and how they have changed over time. The 18 states in the study are Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Individual reports are available for every state except Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, and Texas. The studies cover claims through March 2024, focusing on non-COVID-19 claims, and track how pandemic-related disruptions and labor market shifts affected claims from 2019 to 2023.

For more information on these studies or to download copies, visit www.wcrinet.org.

About WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in late 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; government entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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The Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) released its 2025 Annual Report. This report highlights WCRI’s studies, which helped guide policy throughout 2024.

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Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research for the Workers Compensation Research Institute, discusses the latest research studies on injured workers.

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According to a survey by the Workers Compensation Research Institute, more than 75,000 COVID-19-related claims were filed in 2020 alone, accounting for approximately 7% of all workers’ compensation claims that year.

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In this 30-minute recorded webinar held on April 17, 2025, at 2 PM ET, Dr. Vennela Thumula discussed findings from a recent WCRI FlashReport—Overview of Workers’ Compensation Claims Composition, which evaluated shifts in claim characteristics from 2017 to 2022.

The webinar addressed the following questions:

• How did the relative share of work injuries change by industry?
• Did the proportion of women/men among work-related injuries change?
• What was the most frequent injury type, and were there differences in injury distribution by age, gender, and industry?
• Did work-related injuries occur more frequently among younger or older workers?

The data for this study focus on 8.4 million non-COVID-19 claims from injury years 2017 through 2022 across 31 states, which represent about 80 percent of the workers' compensation benefits paid in the United States.

The recorded webinar is free for WCRI members and $25 for non-members.

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The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) recently announced the release of its 2025 Annual Report. The report highlights WCRI’s studies and how they were used by policymakers and stakeholders throughout 2024.

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Waltham, MA, October 10, 2024 ― A new set of studies from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that utilization of medical services by workers with injuries declined in the majority of the 17 study states. The study addresses two aspects of utilization: the percentage of claims receiving a particular medical service and the number of services provided.

“We continue to see the effects of the pandemic on 2022 claims with experience through March 2023,” said Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research for WCRI. “Besides strained hospital capacity and avoided medical care by many people out of fear of COVID-19 in the early months of the pandemic, waves of increased COVID-19 cases and medical provider shortages may have also affected the delivery of medical care. Even in the few cases where utilization in certain states has begun to rebound, we do not see it reaching pre-pandemic levels yet.”

The studies, CompScope™ Medical Benchmarks, 25th Edition, examined medical payments, prices, and utilization overall and by provider and type of service across 17 states and how these metrics of medical payments have changed over time. The following are sample findings for some of the study states:

• California: Utilization of medical services decreased in 2022, particularly in the percentage of claims with inpatient care and facility services (both hospital outpatient departments and ambulatory surgery centers).
• Indiana: Utilization declined in 2022, particularly for major surgery and facility services.
• Minnesota: Unlike most study states, utilization of most services in Minnesota either stayed stable or began to increase in 2022.
• North Carolina: Decreasing utilization was a driver of the state’s decline in medical payments per claim in 2022, in contrast to many study states which experienced growth.
• Pennsylvania: The share of claims with facility services in the state declined more than most study states since 2019.

The analysis results reflect experience on claims through March 2023, including non-COVID-19 claims from the pandemic period (March 2020–September 2022). The studies, therefore, provide a look at how the pandemic impacted non-COVID-19 workers’ compensation claims. The 17 states in the study ― Arkansas, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin ― represent about 60 percent of all workers’ compensation benefit payments nationwide. Individual reports are available for every state except Arkansas, Iowa, and Tennessee. For more information on these studies, visit https://www.wcrinet.org.

About WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Cambridge, MA. Founded in 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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The landscape of workers’ compensation has shifted significantly in recent years, impacted by technology, advances in medical treatments, and a better understanding of how different types of injuries affect employees

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Waltham, MA, March 27, 2025 – A new report from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) reveals that claims involving degenerative conditions and comorbidities, such as hypertension or diabetes, incur higher costs and longer temporary disability durations. The report examines claims with and without comorbidities, as well as those with single or multiple comorbid conditions.

"Degenerative and comorbid conditions often coexist with primary work-related injuries, complicating treatment and recovery, which results in increased medical payments and indemnity benefits," said Sebastian Negrusa, WCRI vice president of research. "This study emphasizes the importance of early identification and intervention to mitigate the impact of these conditions on claim costs and outcomes."

The study, Degenerative and Comorbid Conditions in Workers’ Compensation, analyzes data from 32 states and answers the following key questions:

• How common are degenerative comorbidities, such as degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis, and how do they vary by injury type?
• What is the frequency of other comorbidities, including hypertension, substance use, mental health conditions, diabetes, and obesity, and how often do claims involve multiple comorbidities?
• How do comorbidities impact claim costs and the duration of temporary disability compared to claims without these conditions?

The study examines data from more than 930,000 claims with over seven days of lost time. The report includes measures on medical payments, indemnity benefits, and duration of temporary disability. The report was authored by Dongchun Wang, Randall D. Lea, and Kathryn L. Mueller.

ABOUT WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

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Waltham, MA, March 25, 2025 – The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is pleased to announce the release of its 2025 Annual Report, now available on its website. The report highlights WCRI’s studies published in 2024 and how they were used by policymakers and stakeholders.

In her message, WCRI President and CEO Ramona Tanabe emphasized the importance of independent, data-driven research as new challenges—such as extreme weather, policy shifts, and changes in health care—affect workers' compensation. “At WCRI, we remain dedicated to providing unbiased, trusted information, funded by stakeholders who support our mission to deliver research free from recommendations or opinions,” she said.

Tanabe highlighted more than 40 studies published in 2024, covering crucial topics like psychosocial factors in outcomes, attorney involvement, and high-cost claims. She also noted the significance of WCRI’s benchmarking studies, which track trends such as medical pricing, drug payments, and cost-containment strategies across states.

A standout study on the effects of excessive heat on work-related injuries gained national attention, with coverage from the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Newsweek. This research contributed to the development of a proposed Occupational Safety and Health Administration rule on heat injury prevention, underscoring WCRI’s influence on policy change and worker safety.

Looking ahead, Tanabe outlined WCRI’s research agenda, which will address topics such as recreational marijuana laws, the aging workforce, emerging technologies like AI, and medical workforce shortages.

Tanabe closed by thanking WCRI members for their continued support and urging them to help expand the Institute’s membership. “Expanding our membership allows us to conduct research in more states and explore a wider range of topics, increasing our ability to create a meaningful impact on the workers’ compensation system,” she emphasized.

The Annual Report includes a list of published studies, how the research was applied, key research highlights, corporate social responsibility efforts, member interviews, and a full list of supporters who made WCRI's research possible in 2024. Click here to view the report.

About WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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A huge thank you to our speakers and attendees for making the 2025 WCRI Issues & Research Conference in sunny Phoenix a tremendous success!

We hope all our attendees enjoyed diving into our latest research, hearing from expert keynote speakers and panelists, and networking with our diverse audience. Mark your calendars for next year’s conference, scheduled for March 3–4, 2026, in Boston, MA.

For those who attended, presentation slides are still available through our conference app, and we’d love to hear your thoughts through our post-event survey. As part of our ongoing commitment to giving back, WCRI will donate $3 to Kids' Chance for every completed survey.

Relive key moments from the conference in the photo slideshow below, and read articles written about the event on our website. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to reach out. We look forward to seeing you in Boston next year!

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Last week, the daisyBill team had the pleasure of attending the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) Annual Issues & Research Conference in Phoenix.

The event was exceptional.

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At the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) Annual Conference in Phoenix yesterday, researchers presented findings on how changes in the medical workforce are impacting workers’ compensation systems across the United States. The presentation highlighted significant shifts in who provides care to injured workers and what these changes mean for claim outcomes.

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Waltham, MA, February 27, 2025 – A new report from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) and the International Association of Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC) compares workers’ compensation regulations and benefits across U.S. states and Canadian provinces as of January 1, 2025.

“This study is a must-have for workers’ compensation professionals,” said WCRI President and CEO Ramona Tanabe. “It answers common questions about jurisdictional differences and continues to expand as new rules emerge, such as presumptions for first responders. We also provide tools for deeper research into specific areas of interest.”

In Canada and the United States, workers’ compensation is governed by sub-national legislative bodies and administrative agencies. The differences between jurisdictional laws and regulations can be subtle, and this survey helps professionals understand those differences, such as the following:

• Eligibility requirements for temporary disability benefits
• Employer vs. employee health care provider selection
• Burial allowances and dependent benefits for work-related fatalities
• Compensation differences for injuries like amputations
• Coverage for mental stress, hearing loss, and cumulative trauma
• Availability of rehabilitation benefits
• Attorney fee structures and payment sources

The study, Workers’ Compensation Laws as of January 1, 2025, builds on years of valuable work by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), which pioneered the use of standardized tables to ensure uniformity across states and consistency over time. After USDOL suspended production for budgetary reasons, WCRI and IAIABC partnered to continue publishing this important resource.

For more information or to purchase a copy, visit www.wcrinet.org. The report was authored by Karen Rothkin.

ABOUT WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Waltham, MA. Organized in 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

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The clock is ticking—only one week remains to secure your spot at the 2025 WCRI Issues & Research Conference, taking place March 6–7 in sunny Phoenix, AZ.

Federal changes—those already made and those under consideration—are likely to impact all stakeholders in the system in different ways. This is what makes the WCRI conference a must-attend event. It brings together employers, insurers, policymakers, labor unions, and more.

Many are preparing for changes that could directly or indirectly affect state workers' compensation systems, including potential shifts in Medicare, Medicaid, and OSHA. How will these developments impact safety, physicians, and access to care for injured workers?

Join us for keynote speakers, expert panels, and cutting-edge research to help you navigate these evolving challenges.

Engage with decision-makers from over 150 organizations—a unique opportunity to gather diverse perspectives, exchange ideas, and shape your priorities for the year.

Don’t wait—register today and book your hotel! You can also register at the door. Be sure to watch this video to see why so many attendees return year after year.

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