Workers Compensation Research Institute - WCRI

08/26/2026

Hidden comorbidities can complicate workers’ comp claims, driving higher costs and longer disability. A new Business Insurance article highlights WCRI research on their impact.

Read the article: https://www.businessinsurance.com/hidden-comorbidities-complicate-workers-comp-claims/

Explore the study: https://www.wcrinet.org/reports/degenerative-and-comorbid-conditions-in-workers-compensation/

Comorbid health conditions are contributing to longer disability periods and substantially higher medical costs in workers compensation claims, yet the conditions often remain underreported in part…

08/24/2026

Thanks to Joe Paduda for the shoutout and for highlighting WCRI’s new research on non-price-controlled medical services.

Join us Sept. 3 for a webinar on the study’s findings.

Read Joe’s post: https://joepaduda.substack.com/p/gotta-love-wcri

Register for the webinar: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5834442361938058077

Providers are getting more “creative” than ever these days, with some - especially in California - taking advantage of loopholes in fee schedules to bill outrageous amounts for “services” with questionable impact on injured workers’ recovery.

08/20/2026

Don’t miss WCRI’s Sept. 3 webinar at 2 p.m. ET on new findings examining payment and utilization patterns for medical services without established fee schedule rates across states.

Learn more: https://www.wcrinet.org/webinars/detail/webinar-trends-in-non-price-controlled-services

08/18/2026

Heading to WCI 2026? Connect with our colleague Kathy Fisher, Director of External Relations, in Orlando, August 23–26. Feel free to say hello, ask about WCRI research or the benefits of membership.

08/14/2026

New Study Examines a Potential Driver of Workers’ Compensation Medical Costs

Join WCRI Sept. 3 at 2 p.m. ET for a 30-minute webinar on findings from the new study, Trends in Non-Price-Controlled Services, examining how payment and utilization patterns vary for medical services without established fee schedule rates across states.

Learn more: https://www.wcrinet.org/webinars/detail/webinar-trends-in-non-price-controlled-services

08/06/2026

Medical services not covered by fee schedules are playing a growing role in rising workers' compensation medical costs.

A recent Business Insurance article highlights findings from WCRI research showing that payments for services outside fee schedules have been increasing and contributing to higher medical costs.

Read the article: https://www.businessinsurance.com/services-not-covered-by-fee-schedules-add-to-rising-medical-costs-report/

Read the WCRI study: https://www.wcrinet.org/reports/trends-in-non-price-controlled-services

A growing share of medical spending is on services without fee-schedule rates, a trend that likely contributed to rising medical payments, according to a report released Tuesday by the Workers…

08/03/2026

Joint replacement surgeries are becoming more common in workers' compensation.

WCRI Vice President of Research Sebastian Negrusa discusses key findings from WCRI's latest study on the Workers Comp Matters podcast.

🎧 Listen: https://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/workers-comp-matters/2026/07/workplace-and-joint-replacement-whats-on-the-job-and-whats-just-aging/

📄 Read the study: https://www.wcrinet.org/reports/recent-trends-in-joint-replacement-among-workers-compensation-claims/

A new study from the WCRI examines a surge in joint replacement surgeries from workplace injuries. It’s not as simple as it sounds. Discover insightful episodes on Legal Talk Network's portfolio of legal podcasts featuring in-depth interviews and discussions with leaders in legal technology and pr...

07/31/2026

WCRI’s study, Trends in Non-Price-Controlled Services in Workers’ Compensation, was recently featured by Risk & Insurance. The article includes a link to the full study.

Read it here: https://riskandinsurance.com/uncovered-medical-services-are-driving-up-workers-comp-costs-wcri-finds/

Durable medical equipment and certain professional services without fee schedule rates are consuming a growing share of payments, the Workers Compensation Research Institute found.

07/28/2026

With workers' compensation medical costs continuing to rise, a new WCRI study examines payment and utilization patterns for services without established fee schedule reimbursement rates and how they vary across states. Learn more: https://www.wcrinet.org/news/detail/new-report-examines-a-potential-driver-of-workers-compensation-medical-costs

07/21/2026

This Thursday: WCRI Vice President of Research Sebastian Negrusa joins experts from General Re and WCIRB to discuss emerging workers' compensation market trends during an American Academy of Actuaries webinar.

Learn more: https://buff.ly/ZshFYqH