National – The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) released, Pain Management Interstate Variation report, which analyzes how pain‑management costs differ across states. The report found significant interstate variation, with physical medicine and major surgery costs rising while drug costs decline due to reduced opioid use.
President Trump delivered the 2026 State of the Union address on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, speaking for nearly two hours. The speech focused mainly on the U.S. economy, with the President expressing confidence that economic conditions would improve. He also highlighted a proposal for a new government‑backed retirement plan designed for workers who do not receive a retirement match from their employers. The address came at a time when public approval of the administration’s economic performance had declined ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.
Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) released the report Workers’ Compensation Prescription Drug Regulations: A National Inventory, 2026. The report compiles state prescription drug regulations for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It includes information on workers’ compensation drug formularies, rules for limiting and monitoring opioid prescriptions, price regulations for pharmacy‑ and physician‑dispensed drugs, prescription drug monitoring programs, pharmacy benefit manager regulations, medical marijuana regulations, and the role of pharmacists. The information reflects regulations in place as of January 1, 2026.
Arizona – HB 2813 failed to pass out of Appropriations Committee earlier this week. As a reminder, HB 2813 if passed would have set rules for formal pharmacy management networks within workers’ comp. The bill allows employers or insurers to use these networks to provide medications to injured workers and sets reimbursement standards and required employee notifications. It excludes informal networks from regulation while outlining key responsibilities for formal networks, including commission registration, licensed pharmacies open participation, and prohibiting certain fees.
Colorado – Colorado introduced HB 1272 late last week. HB 1272 would require the Department of Labor and Employment to collect data and develop model guidance for preventing heat-related injuries and illnesses. The bill was assigned to the House Health and Human Service Committee.
Connecticut – Connecticut has introduced two bills aimed at strengthening mental health support by addressing different aspects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) coverage:
- H.B. 5274 would require the Workers’ Compensation Commission to conduct a comprehensive study of Connecticut’s workers’ compensation system, evaluate its current operations, and provide recommendations for potential legislative changes. The commission must finalize its findings and submit a report with proposed improvements by January 1, 2027.
- H.B. 5279 seeks to expand PTSD eligibility by adding a new qualifying event: witnessing a serious physical injury that does not result in death or permanent disfigurement. The bill uses existing statutory definitions to clearly define “serious physical injury,” thereby broadening access to PTSD benefits for workers exposed to traumatic incidents.
Georgia – HB 1355 remains in the house. HB 1355 proposes increasing workers' compensation benefits by raising the maximum temporary total disability from $800 to $900 per week, temporary partial disability from $533 to $600, death benefits from $320,000 to $360,000, and burial benefits from $7,500 to $10,000. It also revises the process for reinstating benefits when efforts to return injured workers to employment fail.
Maryland – State Sen. Pamela Beidle (D) unexpectedly withdrew her candidacy for the 2026 Maryland Senate race hours before the filing deadline, announcing her plan to retire at the end of her term. She personally asked Del. Mark Chang, who had already filed for re‑election to the House of Delegates, to run for her seat instead. Del. Mark Chang refiled for the Senate race minutes before the deadline.
New York – Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) released a new study, Benefit Delivery Expenses in the New York Workers’ Compensation System, which found that benefit delivery expenses accounted for about 15% of total costs per indemnity claim in New York, based on 2021–2024 workers’ compensation claims at 36 months of experience. The report also highlights that these expenses are evenly split between medical cost containment and litigation‑related costs.
Vermont – State Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale (D) introduced S.173. If passed, S173 would allow injured workers to request vocational rehabilitation services if their employers do not provide them within 90 days of the worker being out of work. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026.
West Virginia – SB 1073, introduced in the West Virginia Senate this week, would align West Virginia’s worker‑classification rules with the IRS standard in Revenue Ruling 87‑41, creating a uniform test across wage, unemployment, workers’ compensation, and human rights laws. The bill requires a written contract, clear tax responsibilities, and specific signs of contractor control, plus at least three additional criteria. If those aren’t met, the IRS test applies, with ambiguities resolved in favor of independent contractor status.
Stay connected to all relevant information in workers' compensation and pharmacy by subscribing to our weekly newsletter. For the previous wrap-up, please click here.