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.
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.
February 27, 2025
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.
Waltham, MA, February 25, 2025 —The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) has released a new FlashReport exploring how medical utilization trends during the COVID-19 pandemic varied by workers' age and job tenure.
Waltham, MA, January 30, 2025 — A new report from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) revealed a rise in the frequency of lump-sum settlements in New York after the 2007 workers’ compensation reforms. The percentage of indemnity claims settled by lump sum increased from 23% in injury year 2007 to 37% in injury year 2014, before slightly declining after 2015.
Waltham, MA, January 28, 2025 — The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) will host two key panel discussions at its 2025 Issues & Research Conference, March 6-7 in Phoenix, AZ. “These panels feature professionals with extensive, firsthand experience in state workers’ compensation systems. Their varied perspectives will provide attendees with expert guidance on understanding and addressing complexities of the workers’…
Waltham, MA, January 23, 2025 — A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) analyzes recent changes in the composition of the medical workforce. These changes, including medical provider shortages and an increase in the demand for health care, may affect care for injured workers.
Waltham, MA, January 22, 2025 — The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is excited to announce that University of North Carolina (UNC) Professor Mark Holmes, PhD, will deliver the day-two keynote address at the 2025 WCRI Issues and Research Conference, to be held March 6–7 in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Holmes will present a compelling discussion titled “Threats to Healthcare Access in Rural America.”
January 16, 2025
Waltham, MA, January 16, 2025 — A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) offers an in-depth look at workers' compensation claims in New York, focusing on the prevalence and costs of various claim types.
Waltham, MA, January 14, 2025 — The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is excited to announce that Dr. Lanhee J. Chen, a leading U.S. public policy expert and political commentator, will deliver the keynote on the first day of the 2025 WCRI Issues & Research Conference, scheduled for March 6-7, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona.
December 18, 2024
Waltham, MA, Dec. 18, 2024―As the number of heat-related illnesses (HRIs), such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke, continues to rise, a new FlashReport from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) finds that HRIs increase by at least sevenfold on days when temperatures exceed 90°F compared with days with temperatures between 75°F and 80°F.
Waltham, MA, Nov. 14, 2024 – A recently released study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that utilization of hospital services in the treatment of workers injured in Pennsylvania is declining for many key services to a greater extent than most of the other 16 study states.
Waltham, MA, Nov. 7, 2024 – A recent study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that medical payments per claim for the treatment of injured workers under workers’ compensation in North Carolina decreased in 2022. In contrast, medical payments grew in many study states in that year.
Waltham, MA, October 31, 2024 – A recent study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that the delivery of medical care to workers injured in Minnesota may be starting to increase after pandemic-related disruptions. Factors suggesting this trend include increasing medical payments per claim and a stable or modest rise in the utilization of most services.
Waltham, MA, October 24, 2024 – A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that medical payments per claim for the treatment of workers injured in Indiana was higher than typical for all claims with experience through March 2023. This was driven mostly by high prices paid for professional (nonhospital) services and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs).
October 18, 2024
Waltham, MA, October 17, 2024—A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that workers’ compensation medical payments per claim in California were 10 percent below the median state of the 17-state study sample for claims with experience through March 2023.
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 studies address two aspects of utilization: the percentage of claims receiving a particular medical service, and the number of services provided.
September 27, 2024
Waltham, MA, Sept. 30, 2024 — A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) shows that the average cost of workers' compensation claims in Delaware, for cases with more than seven days of lost work, went up by 3 percent per year between 2019 and 2022.
Waltham, MA, Sept. 25, 2024―A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) examines the effect of attorney involvement on the indemnity payments that workers receive following work-related injuries to help them cover their loss of income.
Waltham, MA, Sept. 24, 2024 — The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is pleased to announce that registration is now open for its 2025 Annual WCRI Issues & Research Conference, scheduled for March 6-7, 2025, at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel in Phoenix, AZ.
Waltham, MA, Sept. 10, 2024 ― The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) will hold a free, one-hour webinar on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET. The webinar will cover key findings from the latest editions of the CompScope™ Benchmarks and Medical Benchmarks for Pennsylvania, as well as the Institute’s recent drug trends study.
Waltham, MA, Aug. 8, 2024―Many studies have shown that health care costs are concentrated among a small percentage of individuals with diverse needs. A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) identifies the factors linked to high-cost claims in workers’ compensation.
July 30, 2024
Waltham, MA, July 30, 2024―A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) examines the prevalence and use of behavioral health support services in the New York workers’ compensation system. It follows regulatory actions that created a system for compensating a wide range of providers offering these services to injured workers.
Waltham, MA, July 18, 2024 ― A new FlashReport from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that the proportion of injuries among newly hired workers increased over the study period of 2017 to 2022. The upward trend started pre-pandemic and accelerated during the pandemic years.
July 10, 2024
The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) will host a 30-minute webinar on Thursday, August 1, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET on its study, Interstate Variation and Trends in Workers’ Compensation Drug Payments, 5th Edition. Dr. Vennela Thumula will discuss its key findings and take audience questions.
June 20, 2024
Waltham, MA, June 20, 2024 ― The latest edition of the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) drug trends report finds that while prescription payments per claim continued to decline significantly in the majority of study states, there was substantial variation across states. Dermatological agents and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) remained the top prescription cost drivers, with migraine medications growing in many…
June 13, 2024
Waltham, MA, June 13, 2024—In recent years, inflation in the workers’ compensation system has been a concern, as inflation in the overall economy spiked at 9 percent in June 2022. This new report from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) examines the most recent trends in medical inflation to assess whether there was any accelerated medical price growth in workers’ compensation due to a potential lagged effect of the…
May 28, 2024
Waltham, MA, May 28, 2024—A recent study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that Wisconsin’s average indemnity benefit per claim grew nearly 10 percent in 2022, fueled by large growth in the average duration of temporary disability per claim. However, the duration of temporary disability per claim in Wisconsin remained the lowest of the study states.
May 23, 2024
Waltham, MA, May 23, 2024―With rising hospital costs a focus of public policy debates across the country, a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) finds that hospital outpatient payments are lower and growing slower in states with fixed-amount fee schedules.
May 22, 2024
Waltham, MA, May 22, 2024—A recent study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that overall costs per workers’ compensation claim in Michigan were the lowest of the 17-state study group, at an average cost of $31,735 per claim.
May 21, 2024
Waltham, MA, May 21, 2024—The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) will host a 30-minute webinar on Thursday, June 6, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET to discuss findings from the Institute’s new study on how excessive heat affects workplace injuries.
May 16, 2024
Waltham, MA, May 16, 2024―Since medical costs are a constant focus for policymakers and system stakeholders in state workers’ compensation systems, the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) has released an updated version of its annual study that provides comparisons of prices paid for medical professional services across 36 states from 2008 to 2023.
May 14, 2024
A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that indemnity benefits per claim in Illinois increased 5 percent in 2022, driven by a 4 percent increase in workers’ wages and a 0.8-week increase in the average duration of temporary disability. However, since Illinois also saw declining medical payments from 2019 to 2022, overall costs remained mostly stable.
May 09, 2024
Waltham, MA―With U.S. officials bracing for another summer of dangerous heat, a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found important effects of excessive heat on the incidence of occupational injuries.
May 02, 2024
A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that Florida’s average indemnity benefit per workers’ compensation claim grew 13 percent in 2022 for claims with 12 months of experience, making it the main driver of growth in overall costs per claim in the state.
April 30, 2024
Waltham, MA, April 30, 2024 — The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) announced today that its 2024 WCRI Annual Report is now available on its website. The report takes a comprehensive look at all of the Institute’s activities in 2023, from the studies published to how that research was used by policymakers and other stakeholders.
April 23, 2024
Waltham, MA, April 23, 2024―Indemnity benefits per workers’ compensation claim grew at a rapid pace of 6 percent or more in 2022 in 16 out of 17 study states, with 8 states growing at a rate of 10 percent or more, according to a new set of studies from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI). This followed a period of little change overall in most study states from 2019 to 2021.
Waltham, MA, April 4, 2024—The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) will hold an hour-long webinar on the impact of vertical integration on prices, medical utilization, and outcomes, based on published WCRI reports. The date of the webinar is Thursday, May 2, 2024, at 2pm ET.
March 27, 2024
Waltham, MA, March 28, 2024―A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute found that workers’ compensation patients had a higher prevalence of psychosocial risk factors than private insurance patients, and a stronger association between psychosocial risk factors and functional outcomes.
February 26, 2024
Cambridge, MA, February 27, 2024―With medical benefits representing the single largest cost component for many state workers’ compensation systems, the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) released a new study today that provides a basic understanding of the cost containment strategies used in all 50 states and 3 federal workers’ compensation programs as of January 1, 2024.
February 05, 2024
Cambridge, MA, February 2, 2023―The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) announced today that Dr. Connie Noonan Hadley, an organizational psychologist and professor in the Management and Organizations Department at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business, will keynote the second day of the 2024 WCRI Issues & Research Conference, March 5-6 at the Westin Copley Hotel in Boston, MA. The title of her keynote is “The…
January 18, 2024
Cambridge, MA, Jan. 18, 2024―Today, the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) announced that a session on “Psychological Risk Factors and Functional Recovery” will be held at its 2024 WCRI Issues & Research Conference, March 5-6 in Boston, MA. WCRI Policy Analyst Vennela Thumula will present the Institute’s latest research on the topic.
January 11, 2024
Cambridge, MA, Jan. 11, 2024―Today, the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) announced that a session on “Excessive Heat and Work-Related Injuries” will be held at its 2024 WCRI Issues & Research Conference, March 5-6 in Boston, MA. WCRI Vice President of Research Sebastian Negrusa and Washington State Department of Labor and Industries Research Director David Bonauto will be presenting.
December 14, 2023
Cambridge, MA, December 14, 2023—As vertical integration of medical providers has increased over the last decade, a new Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) study found that vertical integration results in more medical care, higher claim costs, and longer recovery among workers injured on the job.
Cambridge, MA, December 7, 2023 – A recently released study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that medical payments per claim in Wisconsin remained stable between 2019 and 2021 after prior years saw moderate growth. Wisconsin, however, sees some of the highest prices and payments per claim out of any of the study states.
November 28, 2023
Cambridge, MA, November 28, 2023—A new Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) study, Time to First Medical Service—A WCRI FlashReport, examines the time from injury to first medical service among injured workers across states before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Time to first service provides insights for the understanding of access to medical care for workers with injuries.
November 21, 2023
Cambridge, MA, November 21, 2023—A new Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) study found that mental health comorbidities (anxiety, depression, sleep dysfunction) had a stronger association with smaller functional recoveries than physical health comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension, obesity). This study is based on a large sample of 68,850 workers who were injured on the job and received physical therapy for low back pain.
Cambridge, MA, November 16, 2023 – A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that medical payments for the treatment of workers injured on the job in Texas changed little between 2016 and 2021.
Cambridge, MA, Nov. 3, 2023 – During the first two years of the pandemic, medical payments per claim in Minnesota decreased 4 percent in 2020/2021, followed by a slight drop of 2 percent in 2021/2022, according to a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI). This was mainly driven by decreases in utilization of medical services, likely related to the pandemic.
Cambridge, MA, Oct. 27, 2023 – The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) will hold a one-hour webinar on its recently release CompScope™ Medical Benchmarks, 24th Edition on Thurs., Nov. 16, 2023, at 2:00 pm ET. WCRI Senior Analyst and Author Carol Telles will share findings from the studies and take audience questions.
October 19, 2023
Cambridge, MA, October 19, 2023 – A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that medical payments per workers’ compensation claim in Indiana changed little between 2016 and 2021.
October 12, 2023
Cambridge, MA, October 12, 2023 — A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that total costs per claim with more than seven days of lost time in Delaware decreased in 2020 and then increased in 2021 (claims evaluated as of March 2022). Changes in the availability of medical services and economic conditions were the main factors behind the 2020 and 2021 findings.
October 09, 2023
Cambridge, MA, Oct. 10, 2023―The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) announced today that registration is open and acclaimed Harvard economist David Cutler will keynote the 2024 WCRI Issues & Research Conference, March 5-6 at the Westin Copley Hotel in Boston, MA.
October 05, 2023
Cambridge, MA, October 5, 2023 ― Medical payments per claim decreased more than 3 percent in most of the 17 study states for 2021 injuries with experience through March 2022, according to a new set of studies by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI). The main driver of this was a decrease in utilization of medical services, likely the result of the pandemic.
September 14, 2023
Cambridge, MA, Sept. 15, 2023 – The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) will hold a 30-min. webinar on its study Long COVID in the Workers' Compensation System in 2020 and 2021 on Tues., Oct. 3, 2023, at 2:00 pm ET. Author Dr. Bogdan Savych will share findings from the study and take audience questions.
August 31, 2023
Cambridge, MA, August 31, 2023 – A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found the recent economic trends and the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic had important impacts on the workers’ compensation system.
August 17, 2023
Cambridge, MA, August 17, 2023 – A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that 6 percent of workers with COVID-19 developed long COVID, and many of these workers continued receiving medical care a year after their infections. This study expands prior evidence from early in the pandemic, showing persistent rates of long COVID for infections through 2021.
August 14, 2023
Join the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) for a 30-min. webinar on Wed., Sept. 6, 2023, at 2:00 pm ET as authors Olesya Fomenko and Rebecca Yang discuss findings and answer questions from Insights into Medical Inflation in Workers’ Compensation—A WCRI FlashReport.
August 03, 2023
Cambridge, MA, August 3, 2023 – The steep growth in consumer prices for energy, food, and housing over the last few years created concerns about potential rising inflation in medical care. A new Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) study found that, overall, there was no evidence of faster growth in workers’ compensation medical prices and payments in most states over the high inflation period of 2021-2022.
May 31, 2023
Cambridge, MA, May 31, 2023 – During these times when rising hospital costs are a focus of public policy debates, a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) finds that hospital outpatient payments are lower and growing slower in states with fixed-amount fee schedules.
May 23, 2023
Cambridge, MA, May 30, 2023 – Medical payments per workers' compensation claim in Virginia at 12 months of maturity decreased 5.6 percent between 2019 and 2020 and 7.9 percent between 2020 and 2021, according to a recent study published by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI).
May 18, 2023
Cambridge, MA, May 18, 2023 ― Today, the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) released an updated version of its study that compares prices paid for a similar set of medical professional services for treating injured workers across 36 states and monitors price changes from 2008 to 2022.
May 16, 2023
Cambridge, MA, May 16, 2023 – Trends in indemnity components in Texas differed between 2016 and 2021, though wages of workers with injuries grew more than 3 percent per year from 2016 to 2019, according to a recent study published by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI).
May 09, 2023
Cambridge, MA, May 9, 2023 – Indemnity benefits per claim in Massachusetts decreased 7 percent in 2021 following a sizeable increase in the previous year. Duration of temporary disability was a major driver of indemnity trends in both years, according to a recent study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI).
May 02, 2023
Cambridge, MA, May 2, 2023 – The average total cost per claim in Illinois changed little between 2019 and 2021 for injuries evaluated as of the first quarter of 2022, according to a recent study published by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI).
April 27, 2023
Cambridge, MA, April 27, 2023 – The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) announced today that its 2023 WCRI Annual Report is now available on its website. The report takes a comprehensive look at all of the Institute’s activities in 2022, from the studies published to how that research was used by policymakers and other stakeholders.
April 25, 2023
Cambridge, MA, April 25, 2023—Total costs per claim with more than seven days of lost time in Florida remained stable in 2020 and 2021, following moderate growth of 4–5 percent per year from 2016 to 2019, according to a recent study published by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI).
April 18, 2023
Cambridge, MA, April 18, 2023 – A new series of 14 studies from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found medical payments per claim decreased while indemnity benefits per claim continued to grow in 2020 and 2021 in many states, likely reflecting the impact of changes in economic conditions and usage of medical care during the early COVID-19 pandemic period.
April 04, 2023
Cambridge, MA, April 4, 2023―Today, the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) released a new report that gathers in one place the numerous state regulations affecting prescription drugs in all 50 states, including workers with injuries.
April 03, 2023
Cambridge, MA, April 3, 2023―The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) announced today that executive vice president Ramona Tanabe has been named to succeed John Ruser as the new CEO of the Institute. She will assume responsibilities on May 1, 2023. Current CEO John Ruser has served in the position since 2015. John will stay on temporarily as advisor to the CEO to ensure a smooth transition.
March 30, 2023
Cambridge, MA, March 30, 2023―A series of studies from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) examines the impact of formularies on prescription drug utilization and costs in five states (Arkansas, California, Indiana, Kentucky, and New York) that implemented formularies in 2018 and 2019. They also examine the effect on physician dispensing and generic utilization in states with applicable formulary rules.
March 28, 2023
Cambridge, MA, March 28, 2023―A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) helps policymakers and stakeholders get an informed view about access to providers in their states by describing the medical workforce treating workers with injuries. The study shows how often physicians treat workers with injuries, examines the volume and the types of services that physicians provide, and examines how these providers fit within…
March 16, 2023
Cambridge, MA, March 16, 2023―A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) examines the impact of vertical integration of medical providers on payments for workers’ compensation care. In particular, it shows how payments for care provided by physicians to workers with injuries changed after hospitals and health systems acquired physician practices.
March 02, 2023
Cambridge, MA, March 2, 2023― Today, the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) shared information about a panel on the “Impact of the Labor Shortage” that will be held at its 2023 WCRI Issues & Research Conference, March 21-22 at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown in Phoenix, Arizona.
March 01, 2023
Cambridge, MA, March 1, 2023―Extended physical medicine (PM) use was relatively frequent in most study states and less coordination of care was among the key factors associated with a higher likelihood of having extended PM use, finds a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI).
February 16, 2023
Cambridge, MA, Feb. 16, 2023― Today, the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) shared information about a panel on “Changes in the Workplace” that will be held at its 2023 WCRI Issues & Research Conference, March 21-22 at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown in Phoenix, AZ. The conference theme is "Disruption, Resilience, and Evolution."
February 14, 2023
Cambridge, MA, Feb. 14, 2023―A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) finds that workers’ compensation patients with low back pain reported lower improvements in functional status score following physical therapy than patients covered by other payment systems.
February 07, 2023
Cambridge, MA, Feb. 7, 2022― The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) announced today that acclaimed MIT economist David Autor will keynote the 2023 WCRI Issues & Research Conference, March 21-22 at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown in Phoenix, AZ.
January 26, 2023
Cambridge, MA, Jan. 26, 2023―A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that 7 percent of workers with COVID-19 claims received treatment for long COVID after the acute period of the infection. While long COVID prevalence was the highest among workers who were hospitalized during an acute stage of disease, even some workers with limited medical care early after the infection developed long COVID symptoms.
December 19, 2022
Cambridge, MA, Dec. 19, 2022―A new 28-state study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found substantial variation across states in the rates of emergency department (ED) use among workers seeking care for new injuries during the period from the first quarter of 2019 to the first quarter of 2021.
November 22, 2022
Cambridge, MA, Nov. 22, 2022 – The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) will host a free 30-minute webinar on its recent study A Primer on Behavioral Health Care in Workers’ Compensation on Thursday Dec. 15, 2022, at 2pm ET.
November 17, 2022
Cambridge, MA, Nov. 17, 2022―Medical payments per claim decreased in Indiana for 2020 injuries with experience through March 2021 after growing in 2019, according to a recent study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI). This fluctuation in medical payments, in part, reflects factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
November 10, 2022
Cambridge, MA, Nov. 10, 2022―The average medical payment per claim decreased 4 percent in Michigan for 2020 injuries with experience through March 2021, according to a recent study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI). This reflects factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the earlier period from 2015 to 2019, medical payments per claim grew 4 percent per year.
October 20, 2022
Cambridge, MA, October 20, 2022 ― A new report from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that indemnity benefits per claim grew 10 percent for 2020 non-COVID-19 claims evaluated in 2021 (2020/2021 claims) after being mostly stable since 2015 in New York. Medical payments per claim decreased 5 percent in 2020/2021, following a rapid increase the previous year. Both the increase in indemnity benefits and decrease in medical…
October 19, 2022
Cambridge, MA, Oct. 19, 2022 ― The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) will host a free 30-minute webinar on Nov. 17, 2022, at 2 p.m. ET on its study Trends in the Delaware Workers’ Compensation System, 2015–2020.
October 13, 2022
Cambridge, MA, October 13, 2022 ― Medical payments per claim decreased 5 percent in Florida for 2020 injuries with experience through March 2021, according to a recent study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI). This likely reflects factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the earlier period from 2015 to 2019, medical payments per claim grew 4–5 percent per year.
October 12, 2022
Cambridge, MA, Oct. 12, 2022―Today, the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) announced registration is now open for the Institute’s 39th Annual Issues & Research Conference, March 21-22, 2023. This year’s conference is being held in person at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel.
October 06, 2022
Cambridge, MA, October 6, 2022 ― Medical payments per claim decreased more than 3 percent in half the 18 study states for 2020 injuries with experience through March 2021, according to a new set of studies by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI). This likely reflects factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the earlier period from 2015 to 2019, medical payments per claim were stable or grew moderately across the study…
September 14, 2022
Cambridge, MA, Sept. 14, 2022 — A new report from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found the average medical payment per claim (regardless of the claim maturity and claim base [all claims or lost-time claims]) decreased about 33 percent between 2014 and 2017 in Delaware, which was the main goal of House Bill (HB) 373.
September 01, 2022
Cambridge, MA, Sept. 1, 2022 ― The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) will host a free 45-minute webinar on Sept. 29, 2022, at 2 p.m. ET on its FlashReport, Interstate Variation and Trends in Workers’ Compensation Drug Payments: 2018Q1 to 2021Q1. Two of the study’s authors, Dr. Vennela Thumula and Dongchun Wang, will discuss its key findings and take audience questions.
August 16, 2022
Cambridge, MA, August 16, 2022 – As concerns about behavioral health problems increased in recent years, the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) heard through system stakeholder interviews that early screening for psychosocial risk factors is important to prevent delayed recovery.
June 28, 2022
Cambridge, MA, June 28, 2022 – As policymakers seek to implement or change price controls in their state workers’ compensation system with a fee schedule, a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) highlights the important design choices faced in adopting, reforming, and updating them.
June 23, 2022
Cambridge, MA, June 23, 2022 — Following the substantial increase in the second quarter of 2020 (2020Q2), use of telemedicine decreased starting in 2020Q3 and stabilized in subsequent quarters. According to a new Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) FlashReport, telemedicine’s share of evaluation and management (E&M) services was still higher at 3 percent in 2021Q1 as compared with 0.2 percent pre-pandemic, while the…
June 16, 2022
Cambridge, MA, June 16, 2022 ― A new FlashReport from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) finds that in several states, payments for dermatological agents continued to increase, driven by increased dispensing of higher-priced drug products either from physicians’ offices or from mail-order pharmacies.
May 31, 2022
Cambridge, MA, May 31, 2022 – Hospital outpatient payments were higher and growing faster in states with percent-of-charge-based fee regulations or no fee schedules, finds a study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI). The study, the latest in an annual series, compares hospital payments for a group of common outpatient surgeries in workers’ compensation across 36 states from 2005 to 2020.
May 26, 2022
Cambridge, MA, May 26, 2022 ― Today, the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) released an updated version of its study that compares prices paid for medical professional services across 36 states and monitors price changes from 2008 to 2021, which includes just over a year of medical services delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
May 25, 2022
Cambridge, MA, May 24, 2022 —The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) will hold a 60-minute webinar on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, at 2 p.m. ET to discuss findings from a recently published WCRI study Chiropractic Care for Workers with Low Back Pain.
May 19, 2022
Cambridge, MA, May 19, 2022 –Total costs per workers’ compensation claim in Michigan for non-COVID-19 claims in 2020 were stable, the result of offsetting factors, according to a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI). Although medical payments and benefit delivery expenses per claim decreased, there was rapid growth in indemnity benefits per claim, which was driven by increases in the average duration of…
May 17, 2022
Cambridge, MA, May 17, 2022―Today, the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) announced the release of a new study on chiropractic care for low back pain. The study reveals substantial variation in the use of chiropractic care across 28 states and offers insights into the patterns and outcomes of chiropractic care.
May 12, 2022
Cambridge, MA, May 12, 2022 – Duration of temporary disability (TD) benefits per claim in Minnesota increased nearly one week in 2020 for non-COVID-19 claims. This was a key driver of the increase in indemnity benefits per workers’ compensation claim in that year, according to a recent study published by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI). Both claims with TD benefits and claims with permanent partial disability…
