Enlyte Medical Price Index Shows Big Rises in Texas, California

• Enlyte Medical’s latest Quarterly Medical Price Index Report showed Texas and California saw the biggest year over year increases in the workers compensation component of the overall index.
• Those increases were 8% and 3%, respectively from 2023 to 2024, while decreases were seen in both Florida (5%) and New York (4%), according to the published report.
• “As the year matures with data, we will continue to see charge per unit changes represented in the MPI, but the trends will likely be similar,” the report said.
• The report is derived from Enlyte’s review of medical bill professional services charge data specific to P&C claims, it said.
  READ MORE

Oklahoma, Kentucky Pols Mull Work-related PTSD Coverage

• Legislators in Oklahoma and Kentucky are the latest to consider expanding workers’ compensation coverage for first responders suffering from work-related post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
• In Oklahoma, HB 1842 increases coverage for mental health injuries, including PTSD, for law enforcement officers, both paid and volunteer firefighters, and emergency medical technicians.
• The state’s workers comp program already provides coverage for first responders, the new legislation considers occupational mental health injuries with public safety concerns, particularly for armed individuals.
• Kentucky legislators are considering a carveout to an existing rule that excludes psychological injuries from WC coverage unless directly caused by physical harm.
• Under Kentucky HB 1228, firefighters, police officers, EMT workers, and others would get the benefit of the “presumption of compensability” for PTSD diagnoses for job-related trauma.
  READ MORE

Connecticut Business Group Sees Ruling Resulting in Huge Jump in Claims Cost

• The Connecticut Business & Industry Association, or CBIA, said that a recent Connecticut Supreme Court ruling could increase workers’ compensation claims costs as much as 265%.
• Based on the court’s March 18 ruling in Gardner v. Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, administrative law judges now have the discretion to grant ongoing temporary partial disability benefits for up to 520 weeks and are not required to convert an award to permanent partial disability benefits once a claimant reaches maximum medical improvement, CBIA said
• A preliminary analysis by the National Council on Compensation Insurance also found the decision may increase overall system costs by 41%.
  READ MORE