National – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a $235,000 settlement with Adidas America to resolve violations identified during a 2021 inspection. Despite a follow-up inspection in 2024 revealing additional issues, the settlement mandates that Adidas implement enhanced safety measures across its facilities in New York, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico. These measures include adopting a comprehensive safety and health management program and discontinuing the use of overhead storage.
The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) released its Labor Market Insights report, offering a monthly overview of labor market statistics and their potential impacts on workers’ compensation. According to the June report, May's job growth was tempered by downward revisions of 65,000 jobs for March and 30,000 for April. Although the employment growth trend for the first five months of 2025 is now lower, it remains close to the level needed to prevent a rise in the unemployment rate.
The National Safety Council (NSC) is celebrating National Safety Month to highlight the leading causes of preventable injuries and deaths. Throughout June, NSC will spotlight a different safety theme each week, including Continuous Improvement, Employee Engagement, Roadway Safety, and Wellbeing.
Colorado – Governor Jared Polis signed HB 25-1300 into law late last week, granting injured workers the right to choose their own treating physicians. This legislation specifically permits injured employees to select any Level I or II accredited doctor within a 70-mile radius. Additionally, workers are no longer confined to employer-designated provider lists, reducing potential conflicts of interest and fostering better patient-doctor relationships. To learn more, check out this PRLOG article.
Louisiana – HCR 73 was signed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House this week. The resolution urges the U.S. Congress to address growing concerns around pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and their impact on prescription drug affordability and access. Specifically, it calls for increased transparency in PBM operations by requiring detailed reporting of pricing negotiations, rebates, and fees. It also mandates that PBMs pass savings from rebates and discounts directly to consumers and seeks to regulate PBM practices to prevent anti-competitive behavior, such as steering patients toward higher-cost drugs.
Industry Watch
Trump Team Expected to Unveil Next Steps on MFN Drug Pricing Soon
Inside Health Policy (June 10) - The Trump administration is expected to release more details in the coming days on its plan to lower drug prices by using the most favored policy through a potential Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) model, three people familiar with the matter told Inside Health Policy. HHS already made price offers to pharmaceutical companies based on the MFN policy, according to the White House. Check out the full article here.
As drug price target deadline looms, pharma companies weigh options
STAT+ (June 10) - Trump administration officials are expected to release more details on their plan to lower prescription drug prices in the coming days and have been meeting with pharmaceutical industry leaders about the potential impacts. The drug companies, in turn, have been gaming out possible scenarios — and strategizing how they may respond to the White House, five people involved in the planning said. To read the full article, click here.
Why CVS, Express Scripts Are Suing Over the Arkansas PBM Law
MedCity News (June 8) - Arkansas became the first state to pass a law banning pharmacy benefit managers from owning pharmacies, aiming to curb their market power and reduce drug costs. But major PBMs like CVS and Express Scripts are suing, claiming the law is unconstitutional. To read the full article, click here. Interested in this topic? Check out these other articles on Insurance Newsnet, Arkansas Times, and National Law Review.
Workplace Injuries Incur Increased Costs and Extended Recovery Periods: Travelers
Risk and Insurance (June 4) - While workplace injuries continue to decline, their associated costs are rising significantly, driven by an aging workforce, high employee turnover, and longer recovery times that pose growing challenges for businesses across all sectors, according to recent findings from Travelers’ 2025 Injury Impact Report. To read the full Risk and Insurance, click here.
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