Boca Raton, FL – NCCI recently released its update and on-demand webinar on Hot Topics in workers’ compensation, which highlights the latest legislative activity affecting the industry.
This year, NCCI tracked more than 800 state and federal workers compensation-related bills and monitored almost 200 workers compensation-related regulations. Legislation impacting workers compensation coverage for first responders continued to be a hot topic with more than 100 bills considered. The first responder bills addressed compensability for certain cancers and other diseases as well as compensability for post traumatic stress disorder.
Hot Topics Included:
- Legalization of Marijuana – At least 25 states considered legislation to legalize marijuana for medical and/or recreational purposes this year.
- Opioids and Prescription Drugs – 20 states considered legislation addressing prescription drugs in workers compensation
- The Gig Economy and Worker Classification – In 2018, nine states considered legislation defining the term “marketplace contractor” to classify certain on-demand workers as independent contractors.
- Air Ambulances – There is pending federal legislation which is intended to preserve state authority to regulate network participation, reimbursement, and balance billing of air carriers providing air ambulance services.
Source: NCCI