Things you should know
Workers Comp mega claims total $1b-plus yearly
The Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California, in collaboration with nine other workers' comp rating bureaus, jointly released "Countrywide Mega Claims: Accident Years 2001-2021," a study that updates a 2020 analysis about the relative frequency and cost of mega claims (loss dollars above $2M). While mega claims represent far less than 1 percent of total workers' comp claims, they account for more than 2 percent of total loss dollars and total more than $1 billion each year. The reported frequency of mega claims has increased in recent years, but this may be partially due to faster recognition of mega claims.
Comp sees rise in advanced medical practitioners treating injured workers
The workers' compensation industry has seen a steady rise in the number of nurse practitioners and physician assistants treating injured workers during first medical visits - a shift researchers say was spurred by physician shortages but had little impact on claims costs, according to a Workers Compensation Research Institute report.
Enlyte releases comprehensive trends study
Enlyte, a company that provides technology, services, and claims solutions for the P & C insurance industry, issued a sweeping 66-page report that covers everything from mental health strategies and legislative changes to collision trends and AI, providing a unique perspective across the claims landscape.
US chicken and pork plant workers face higher risk of MSDs
Workers in U.S. chicken and pork plants face higher risks than other manufacturing workers for musculoskeletal disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome, according to two studies by the Department of Agriculture.
Poultry processing plant study
EPA actions on chemicals
Carbon Tetrachloride (CTC)
A new rule allows EPA to establish a workplace chemical protection program that sets the chemical exposure limit at 0.03 parts per million over an 8-hour time-weighted average.
Trichloroethylene (TCE)
Effective January 16, the EPA will prohibit the manufacture, processing and distribution of TCE for consumer products and commercial uses, with much of the ban enacted within one year.
Perchloroethylene, also known as tetrachloroethylene or PCE
A final rule will phase out commercial use of the substance within two years and, within 10 years, prohibit its use in dry cleaning.
State News
California
- New data from the Workers' Compensation Institute (CWCI) shows recent shifts in the types of drugs prescribed to injured workers and in the distribution of payments for those medications. Anti-inflammatory drugs rank first in terms of the number of prescriptions, but dermatological drugs, which include high-priced, private label drugs, account for the largest share of the total drug spend.
- The Division of Workers' Compensation updated free online training modules addressing treatment guidelines and the qualified medical evaluator process.
Massachusetts
- Insurers have filed for a 7.1 percent increase in average rates for industrial classes beginning July 1, 2025 - the first rate increase since 2016. The Workers' Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau (WCRIB) says it is necessary to correct an excessive rate decrease in 2024 and account for the significant increase in average weekly wages.
New York
- Effective December 30, 2024, contractors and subcontractors who submit bids or perform construction work on public projects or certain private projects are required to register with the state. Registration is not valid until a certificate has been issued, which the state says could take three or four weeks. FAQs
- Effective June 1, 2025, employers of more than 100 employees at a single warehouse distribution center or more than 1,000 employees at one or more warehouse distribution centers must establish an injury reduction program to comply with the Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Program.
- A new WCRI study, Life Cycle of a New York Workers' Compensation Claim, analyzes workers' compensation claims at a snapshot of time, claims from 2018 evaluated in 2023 (60 months after injury).
Tennessee
- The Department of Commerce and Insurance announced a 3.6 percent overall loss cost decrease for the voluntary market. The decrease applies to policies incepted on or after March 1.