WCRI Quarterly Newsletter: 3rd Quarter (July 1 - Sept. 30, 2018)
Where Our Work Was Used
In states large and small, our research continues to be actively used by a diverse group of public officials and stakeholders, resulting in better, more informed decision making. Below is a sample of how our work was used over the last three months.

  • National: The U.S. House Committee on Small Business held a hearing to explore the effects of the opioid crisis on small businesses. The committee's staff released a memo before the hearing that included our research.

  • Pennsylvania: In the roll out of new opioid guidelines for workers' compensation, Gov. Tom Wolf cited a finding from WCRI's study Longer-Term Dispensing of Opioids, 4th Edition. Another one of our studies, The Impact of Opioid Prescriptions on Duration of Temporary Disability, was also cited in the new opioid guidelines.


  • Arizona: Per the passage of Senate Bill 1111, a public hearing was held so the Industrial Commission of Arizona could consult stakeholders on whether to adopt additional reimbursement guidelines for medications dispensed in settings that are not accessible to the general public. During this hearing, numerous stakeholders cited WCRI’s research on physician dispensing in their testimony. 
Latest Research Published
People discussing our research.
Educating Diverse Groups 
Below is a sample of the diverse groups with whom we shared our research over the last three months.

Conferences we presented at:
  • XVIII ORP (Occupational Risk Prevention) International Conference 2018
  • 2018 Montana Governor's Conference
  • Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation Annual Conference
  • Casualty Actuarial Society's 2018 Casualty Loss Reserve Seminar

Briefings we gave:
  • National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • Chairman’s Advisory Council, Medical Subcommittee, of the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation
  • Arkansas Rehabilitation Services
  • Workers' Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau of Massachusetts
  • Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Advisory Council
WCRI In The News
Below is a sample of the media coverage our research received over the last three months. 

Member Spotlight: Kevin Brady , PMA Companies
Recently, we had the pleasure of speaking with a member of our research committee—Kevin Brady, Senior Vice President and Chief Actuary for the PMA Companies—about how he came to know WCRI.

Kevin has more than 30 years of actuarial experience, with the last 10 plus years being responsible for the overall actuarial function at PMA. The PMA Companies are industry leaders of workers' compensation, casualty insurance, and TPA & risk services with over 100 years of experience.

Click here to learn more.
Recorded Webinar: Impact of Pennsylvania Physician Dispensing Reform
Research on the impact of Pennsylvania’s physician dispensing reform was the focus of a one-hour webinar on Thursday, September 27, 2018.

The researchers discussed the lessons learned from Pennsylvania’s experience after the comprehensive reform in 2014, highlighting changes in the frequency of and price paid for physician-dispensed drugs, and the emergence of new pharmacies.

They also addressed how the impact in Pennsylvania compared with the experience in other states with price-focused reforms, including California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Click here to learn more. 
Giving Back
WCRI had the honor and pleasure of volunteering at the Greater Boston Food Bank where we helped sort, pack, label, and distribute 11,002 pounds of food, which translates to 9,168 meals for hungry families across Eastern Massachusetts. 
Conference Registration Open!
Registration is now open for WCRI's 35th Annual Issues & Research Conference, February 28 and March 1, 2019, in Phoenix, AZ.

Considered a leading workers' compensation forum, the two-day program highlights presentations of WCRI’s latest research findings while drawing upon the diverse perspectives of highly respected workers’ compensation experts and policymakers from across the country.

Conference participants leave with new insights, valuable networking contacts, and a better understanding of key issues in today's competitive environment. But you don't have to take our word for it, click here to see what past attendees have said.

Click here to learn more or register early and save $50-$100.
If there are ways we can make our newsletters more valuable for you and your organization, please let us know. In the meantime, thank you for your continued support.
STAY CONNECTED WITH WCRI