National – Election Day Recap – Tuesday, November 4th
National elections are held in even-numbered years, alternating between presidential and midterm cycles. This year’s results reflected a strong showing for Democratic candidates.
- Massachusetts: In municipal elections across the state, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu was re-elected unopposed for a second term.
- New Jersey: Democrat Mikie Sherrill, a U.S. Representative and Navy veteran, won the governorship, defeating Republican businessman Jack Ciattarelli. Her victory maintains Democratic control of the state.
- New York City: In a high-turnout mayoral race, Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist and state assembly member, defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo (running as an independent) and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
- Pennsylvania: Voters chose to retain all three Democratic justices on the state Supreme Court: Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht. Each justice was granted a new 10-year term, preserving the court’s 5–2 Democratic-elected majority.
- Virginia: Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former U.S. Representative and CIA officer, flipped the governorship from Republican to Democratic control, defeating Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. Spanberger becomes the first woman elected governor of Virginia.
- Democrat Jay Jones defeated incumbent Republican Jason Miyares for Attorney General, winning 53.1% of the vote despite controversy over resurfaced text messages. His victory completes a Democratic sweep of Virginia’s top statewide offices, alongside wins by Spanberger (Governor) and Ghazala Hashmi (Lieutenant Governor).
Government Shutdown Update:
- The federal government remains shut down as of Thursday, November 6, marking Day 37 of the budget impasse, now officially the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Despite multiple Senate votes to advance a funding bill, negotiations remain stalled. Over 775,000 federal employees are furloughed, and essential services like air traffic control and food assistance programs are under strain. Courts ordered partial payments for SNAP benefits, but delays persist. Senate leaders expressed cautious optimism about a resolution, though no deal has been reached yet.
The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) released two new reports:
- The Latest Trends in Medical Equipment Cost Share: This report analyzes trends in medical equipment costs within workers' compensation claims. Covering Durable Medical Equipment (DME), Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Implants (POI), and Supplies, the report reveals that medical equipment accounted for 8.3% of total medical costs in Accident Year 2024.
- Medical Inflation Insights Report – October 2025: This report offers a snapshot of inflation trends affecting workers’ compensation. As of Q3 2025, medical price growth remains subdued, with the Workers’ Compensation Weighted Medical Price Index (WCWMI) staying near recent lows. This moderation is largely due to slower price growth in physician and hospital services, especially in states with fee schedules or Medicare-based pricing.
Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) will host a free 40-minute webinar on November 20th at 2 pm ET to discuss its findings from its latest study on the growing role of nurse practitioners and physician assistants in treating injured workers. The session will feature insights from Sebastian Negrusa, WCRI’s Vice President of Research, and Bogdan Savych, Senior Public Policy Analyst. If interested, click here to register.
Rising Medical Solutions opened its 13th annual Workers’ Compensation Benchmarking Study survey, inviting claims leaders to contribute insights on evolving industry challenges. This year’s focus includes AI-driven innovation, talent development, and operational excellence. The confidential survey aims to identify strategies that enhance claims outcomes and will inform a free industry report in 2026. Claims professionals can participate via this Qualtrics survey link. Learn more about the study here.
Nevada – SOn Tuesday, November 5, the Nevada Workers’ Compensation Division hosted a webinar from 2:00–2:30 p.m. ET to introduce the newly adopted Official Disability Guidelines (ODG) Drug Formulary. The session provided an overview of the formulary’s structure, guidance on navigating its components, and practical tips for applying its evidence-based recommendations in treatment planning and claims management. The webinar was led by clinical experts from ODG by MCG and was part of Nevada’s broader effort to implement SB317, which mandates the formulary’s use statewide by July 2027.
Articles of Interest
When it comes to medical privacy, injured workers have it worse than prisoners
The Hill (October 30) - Google employees were recently required to share personal health information with a third-party AI tool or else forego health benefits. Amid significant employee concerns for medical privacy, Google retracted this policy, making disclosure optional. But worker medical privacy remains under attack nationally. Despite over 2.5 million job-related injuries and illnesses annually and the proliferation of patient medical information as technology grows, injured workers often do not enjoy medical privacy protections that even prisoners can count on. Click here to read the full article.
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