The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) has released its 2026 Annual Report, offering a comprehensive look at how its 2025 research agenda informed national policy discussions and shaped understanding of key issues affecting workers' compensation systems.
Published on April 6, 2026, the report underscores WCRI's role as an independent research organization focused on providing data-driven insights into system performance, costs and policy outcomes across U.S. states and Canadian provinces.
In a letter accompanying the report, WCRI President and CEO Ramona Tanabe emphasized the importance of objective research at a time of rapid change across labor markets, health care systems, and emerging technologies.
"Rapid shifts in 2025 — from changes in workers' health care coverage to the growing impact of artificial intelligence — created new uncertainty for workers, employers, and policymakers," Tanabe wrote. "These changes highlight why independent, objective research matters."
Throughout 2025, WCRI published studies examining a wide range of topics, including rising medical payments, the effects of California's heat safety standard on injury rates, the role of advanced practitioners in initial injury care and the impact of recreational marijuana legalization on claim frequency and costs. Together, these studies contributed to ongoing debates about how workers' compensation systems can adapt to changing workforce and regulatory conditions.
The report notes that WCRI research was frequently cited in policy and academic settings over the past year. Its findings appeared in congressional testimony, federal regulatory discussions, state legislative hearings, academic journals and industry publications. Policymakers and stakeholders used WCRI data to evaluate proposals ranging from heat illness prevention standards to workers' compensation medical reforms.
Among the most widely referenced findings were studies on heat exposure and injury risk, which were cited by both federal officials and state legislators. Former OSHA Administrator David Michaels referenced WCRI's research in comments related to proposed federal heat injury and illness prevention rules, while U.S. Senator Jack Reed cited WCRI findings in support of legislation aimed at strengthening heat protections for workers.
At the state level, WCRI research also informed legislative debate and policymaking. In Iowa, findings on heat exposure contributed to the introduction of proposed workplace safety legislation. In Colorado, WCRI studies on provider choice and medical fee schedules were cited in testimony on a bill that ultimately expanded injured workers' ability to select their treating physicians. Other research was referenced in discussions on drug trends, medical costs and comorbidities in Louisiana and California.
The 2026 Annual Report also highlights several key 2025 studies in more detail. One major focus was the growing role of artificial intelligence in workers' compensation systems. Based on interviews with 34 stakeholders across insurers, employers, regulators, providers and worker advocates, the study explored both the potential benefits and risks of AI adoption, including its use in claims processing, risk assessment, and decision support.
Another study examined how care provided by nurse practitioners and physician assistants compares with physician-led care in the early stages of claims. The research analyzed differences in treatment patterns, medical utilization and disability duration, contributing to ongoing discussions about workforce shortages and care delivery models.
Additional studies reviewed the effects of recreational marijuana laws on injury claims and benefits, as well as the long-term impact of California's heat standard on workplace injury rates in high-risk industries such as agriculture, construction, and transportation.
The report also includes WCRI's ongoing work updating comparative analyses of workers' compensation laws across jurisdictions, along with research on medical fee schedule design and cost containment strategies.
Looking ahead, WCRI says it will continue focusing on emerging issues central to system performance, including health care delivery, regulatory changes and evolving workforce risks. The organization's research agenda remains guided by its mission to provide independent, nonpartisan data to inform policy decisions and improve outcomes for injured workers and employers alike.
Maura Keller is a Minneapolis-based freelance writer and editor.
(Featured image credit: greenbutterfly/Adobe Stock)
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