Waltham, MA, July 28, 2026—With workers' compensation medical costs continuing to rise, a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI), Trends in Non-Price-Controlled Medical Services—A WCRI FlashReport, examines payment and utilization patterns for services without established fee schedule reimbursement rates and how they vary across states.

"Forty-four states and the District of Columbia use professional medical fee schedules to reimburse treatments provided to injured workers. However, many commonly used services are reimbursed without an established fee schedule rate," said Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research at WCRI. "This study helps policymakers better understand where those gaps exist and whether they may contribute to medical payment growth."

Among the questions the report explores:

  • How common are medical services without established fee schedule rates?
  • Which states rely most heavily on these services?
  • How have payments for these services changed over time?

The study focuses on durable medical equipment and professional services billed by nonhospital providers. It analyzes medical services provided from January 1, 2019, through June 30, 2025, in workers’ compensation systems with fee schedules, which account for about 99.5 percent of workers’ compensation benefits paid in the United States.

The report, Trends in Non-Price-Controlled Medical Services—A WCRI FlashReport, authored by Drs. Olesya Fomenko and Rebecca Yang, is available free to WCRI members and may be purchased by nonmembers on WCRI's website.

About WCRI

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI), based in Waltham, MA, is an independent, nonprofit research organization founded in 1983. WCRI produces objective, peer-reviewed research and data on workers' compensation issues using recognized scientific methods. The Institute does not make recommendations or take positions on the issues it studies. Its diverse membership includes employers, insurers, managed care companies, health care providers, regulators, labor organizations, and government agencies at the state, national, and international levels.