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The Industrial Commission proposed amendments to rules regarding medical fees.

The Division of Workers' Compensation modified its proposed regulations regarding the inpatient hospital fee schedule.

A proposal to increase workers' comp loss costs by 38.3 percent in the voluntary market and 43.5 percent in the residual market rate has prompted the Delaware Insurance Department to seek additional input.

Several large employers have told Oklahoma officials they may leave the state if workers' comp reform is not "aggressively addressed in the next legislation session," according to the state's insurance commissioner.

"The Oregon study provides further evidence that we need to be proactive in considering legislative options to keep Florida's workers' compensation rates nationally competitive," said Kevin M. McCarty.

Complaints about safety and other workplace issues may be handled through an alternative dispute resolution pilot program in two regions. OSHA announced it is launching the test process for its Whistleblower Protection Program.

The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services' latest report shows where each state and the District of Columbia place on the national listing.

Employers and injured workers are seeing some benefits from legislative reforms, according to a new study. More significant changes may be several years off.

A state insurance trade association credits legislative reforms for the "state with the most improvement in premium costs since 2010."

"It is quite clear that even today, most bill review systems are not fully and seamlessly connected with medical management -- utilization review, precertification, case management, etc.," wrote Joseph Paduda.

Ohio's workers' comp system has its first-ever formulary to limit prescriptions to injured workers. In its first few months, the plan has reduced prescribed doses of narcotics by 1.1 million, or 12 percent, according to preliminary information.

Lost costs in Indiana's workers' comp system will increase by 4.3 percent in January. The Indiana Department of Insurance approved the increase, which results in a 5 percent hike in the overall premium level and the overall rate level.

Older workers are using workers' comp to bridge their retirement gap in at least one part of the country. Comorbidities are driving many employers to seek help getting their workers into wellness programs in another part. Those are among the discussion topics attendees may be privy to during regional-focused sessions at the National Workers' Compensation and Disability ConferenceŽ & Expo.

The California bureau retracted its proposed 12.6 percent increase in pure premium rates "given the unusually high level of uncertainty surrounding S.B. 863 ... the Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau is not recommending a January 1, 2013, increase in the advisory pure premium rate level."

Experience, trend, benefits, and expenses are the four components cited for NCCI's proposed workers' comp rate hike in Connecticut.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention amended the World Trade Center health program regulations to add certain types of cancer to the list of covered health conditions.

The Division of Industrial Relations held a public workshop on Oct. 5 on the need to include an item in the medical fee schedule for reimbursement for telemedicine service.

"Without TRIA, it will be very difficult to obtain reinsurance in the private market," said Michael H. Lanza, executive vice president and general counsel of the Selective Insurance Group.

Workers' comp carriers are keeping their fingers crossed about the anticipated savings from the reform legislation. Signed by Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr., S.B. 863 addresses several cost-driving issues in the workers' comp system.

Once again, there are more filings for rate increases than decreases in the workers' comp system. NCCI reports of 20 filings so far, just six are for reductions.