National –
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released Employer-Reported Workplace Injuries And Illnesses – 2023-2024 report, showing workplace incidents continue to decline. Private industry employers reported 2.5 million nonfatal cases in 2024, a 3.1% decrease from 2023, and the lowest level recorded since 2003. Over the 2023–24 period, injuries requiring days away from work remained the majority of serious cases, totaling 1.8 million DAFW incidents with a median of 8 days away from work.
- The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) released two reports this week:
- January 2026 Medical Inflation Insights report provides a quarterly look at how key inflation indicators are trending and what they may mean for workers’ compensation. According to the report, overall inflation eased toward the end of the year, while medical price growth across physician, outpatient, and inpatient services continued to moderate.
- Industry Level Trend Report, offers a deeper look at premium share, claim frequency, and employment levels across major industries. The report shows while overall claim frequency continues to decline, industry specific‑ patterns vary significantly.
- Enlyte released a podcast, Boosting Comp Outcomes Through Case Management–Physical Therapy Collaboration, where Kim Radcliffe and Tammy Bradly discuss new findings from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) showing that psychosocial factors strongly influence recovery outcomes for injured workers. They highlight that mental and behavioral barriers often predict poor functional recovery more accurately than physical injury itself. The episode also explains how integrating psychosocial screening into physical therapy, along with close coordination between case managers and PTs, helps identify risks earlier and improve return‑to‑work results.
- Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) released Recent Trends in Joint Replacement Among Workers’ Compensation Claims study, which examines how often joint replacement surgeries occur within the workers’ compensation system and how patterns have changed over time. The report focuses on shoulder, hip, and knee replacements, which represent the majority of joint replacement surgeries, and analyzes trends in utilization, patient characteristics, medical costs, and recovery patterns. By tracking these developments, the study aims to provides insights into how aging workforces, medical practice changes, and injury types are influencing the frequency and nature of joint replacement procedures in workers’ compensation claims.
Arizona – The Industrial Commission of Arizona released its 2026 Arizona Physicians’ and Pharmaceutical Fee Schedule Proposal. The Commission will hold an interactive stakeholder meeting on February 12th at 10am and will hold an Annual Fee Schedule Public Hearing on February 26th at 1pm.
Hawaii – Hawaii lawmakers introduced two workers’ compensation bills this week aimed at strengthening protections for firefighters and improve the treatment‑plan process for injured workers:
- HB 2387 was introduced this week to expand workers’ compensation medical coverage for Hawaii firefighters by adding several cancers and related illnesses to the list of conditions presumed to be work-related. The bill includes cancers of the lungs, throat, skin, thyroid, colon, and several female reproductive organs, as well as mesothelioma and malignant melanoma.
- SB 2393 was introduced to update Hawaii’s workers’ compensation process by setting new rules for how employers handle doctors’ treatment plans for injured workers. If passed, starting January 1, 2021, physicians can send treatment plans by mail, fax, or secure electronic methods. Employers must respond within seven days to either approve or object to the plan. If they don’t respond in time, the treatment plan is automatically accepted.
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