National – The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) released its Quarterly Economics Briefing Report for Q3 2025.
The Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) released a new study that “found psychosocial risk factors are widespread among injured workers with knee and shoulder injuries and are associated with poorer functional recovery.” The report is free to download for WCRI members.
Enlyte released Part Two of the 2025 Drug Trends Report this week. Click here to download the free report.
Kentucky – The Supreme Court rejected a worker’s constitutional challenge to the use of guidelines and compensability denial for her pain medication prescription. Howell v. Floyd County Board of Education, Judy Howell injured her back in 1993 while working for the Floyd County Board of Education. In 1995, she was awarded permanent partial disability benefits and future medical expenses. In 2022, the County initiated a medical fee dispute on hydrocodone. The doctor charged with review said, per guidelines, hydrocodone is not recommended for long-term use because of the lack of evidence supporting its efficacy in long-term pain relief. The ALJ determined the medication as non-compensable. The Workers’ Compensation Board and the Court of Appeals agreed. “In its ruling Thursday, the court rejected Ms. Howell’s argument that the new state drug guidelines did not apply to her claim because she was injured before it was adopted, as the legislature expressly said the formulary applies to all injuries, not just those that occurred after it was implemented.”
Alaska – The Division of Workers’ Compensation is asking for comments on its rules in response to the Governor’s regulatory order. The Governor asked all state agencies to review regulations and “improve the quality, transparency and efficiency of the state’s regulatory environment.” An October 23rd hearing will cover work comp rules. A meeting to discuss the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Commission rules will be held on November 6th and procedures for appearing before the Board on November 18th. Rules on indemnity benefits and compensation will be discussed on December 16th. More info can be found here.
Minnesota – The Department of Labor and Industry published annual updates to the work comp fee schedule and fees for services effective October 1st. More information can be found here. No changes to the pharmacy fee schedule.
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