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Montana Self Insurers' Association

may 2026 update

  • Building Systems That Hold When People Don’t – Webinar May 20, Sponsored by Wrenwell Claims and Examworks Compliance Solutions
  • Governor’s Conference Registration Opens
  • DOLI Rules Hearing 5/28 – Update Housing Monthly Rates & Medical Fee Schedule
  • LAST CALL – National Council of Self Insurers Annual Conference
  • Advance Notice - NCCI Montana & Countrywide Systems Results – Webinar June 10, Sponsored by PacBlu & CCMSI
  • WCRI CompScope – Claim Costs are Increasing
  • Welcome New MSIA Member – CorVel


May 20 - Dr. Claire Muselman - Building Systems That Hold When People Don’t

 Sponsored by Wrenwell Claims & Examworks Compliance Solutions

Workers’ Compensation programs succeed or fail long before an injury occurs. How do we build the systems, tools and strucures that guide consistent decision-making when pressure is high and clarity matters most? This session translates behavioral science and human-centered principles into practical, repeatable processes that examiners, supervisors and leaders can execute with confidence.

  • Impact of stress and cognitive overload on performance
  • Inconsistent communication with injured employees
  • The impact of the absence of clear direction for medical care and next steps
  • Aligning systems with real-world behavior and operational needs
  • Ensuring usability for all experience levels
  • Action Planning & Implementation                                  

Join us on May 20 at 10a MDT to learn from a nationally recognized expert who has been in the trenches and knows what works - - and what doesn’t!

Dr. Claire Muselman is one of the most dynamic, energetic and impactful speakers on workers’ compensation in the country – because she has lived it – from claims examiner to manager to executive to mentor/professor. Muselman specializes in transforming workers’ compensation programs through human-centered design, behavioral science and operational execution that reduces cost and improves outcomes.

Governor’s Conference Registration Open

The MSIA Business & Annual Meeting and Governor’s Conference on Workers’ Compensation will be October 6 – 9 in West Yellowstone. The MSIA meeting starts with an exclusive, members only reception the evening of October 6 with the Conference speakers. The MSIA Business & Annual Meeting will be the following morning, October 7, starting at 9:15a. Details will be released in the next months.

Registration for the Governor’s Conference is available now. You know the hotel sells out fast – while the Conference registration doesn’t technically sell out, it’s far better to get in sooner rather than later. This year’s Governor’s Conference, ‘Emphasizing Safety & Health Through Workers’ Compensation’ will feature speakers and topics you need to hear, and want to hear about. Register for this important conference here - Governor's Conference on Workers' Compensation

Former GVP pf Risk Management for Albertsons/Safeway WC Director and national WC blogger and leader, Bill Zachry will be the MSIA Annual Meeting guest speaker on Wednesday 10/7 and is expected to be the closing Keynote on 10/9 for the Conference. Other speakers and topics are expected to include:

  • Mark Pew, WorkCompCollege.com (& friend of MSIA)
  • Dr. Claire Muselman (MSIA Webinar presenter)
  • Jason Parker
  • Annie Davidson, Sanderson Comp (MSIA member)
  • Heat Exposure
  • Ergonomics

Use this link to register: Governor's Conference on Workers' Compensation

DOLI Rules Hearing 5/28 – Updates to Housing Monthly Rates & Medical Fee Schedule

On May 8, the Department of Labor released a rules amendment to update the Monthly Housing Rate used as part of indemnity benefits and the annual update to the Medical Fee Schedule. The Hearing will be held by Zoom on May 28 at 9:00a MDT.

The change for the Monthly Housing Rates, specifically for agricultural workers, reflects the HUD Fair Market Rent, for 2026, which increased an average of 20%.

The Medical Fee Schedule change, sees slight decreases to the Professional Services and Anesthesia Conversion Factors. There are minor (almost tiny) increases to the Hospital Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) rates. The Hospital Inpatient base rate is proposed to increase 2.3% ($239). NCCI estimates the resulting changes will have a -0.3% impact on overall Montana system costs. NCCI will not be making a filing to reflect this change. At this time, MSIA does not intend to provide comment on these changes.  

To attend the hearing, please use this Zoom Link:

                             Zoom Meeting ID: 815 5090 5636

                            Zoom Meeting Passcode: 0304343607

An electronic version of the rule proposal is available here: dli.mt.gov/rules.

Written comments must be provided to the Department by June 5, 2026 at 5:00p and may be submitted at dli.mt.gov/rules or by mail to PO Box 1728, Helena, MT 59624.


LAST CALL – National Council of Self Insurers Annual Conference – Register Now!

The National Council of Self Insurers Annual Conference will be May 31 – June 3 at the fabulous Ritz Carlton in Rancho Mirage, CA. MSIA has access to a limited number of discount registrations for members (contact the MSIA office to get the discounted registration). There is still time – but not much!

Register Here: National Council of Self-Insurers

This Conference features Employers Talking With Employers about what’s working, what they’ve learned and what’s next. This has become one of the best Conferences on the calendar because it is intimate – about 250 people total providing for real conversations to happen - it features national and regional employers, like Marriott, Discount Tire and LA Unified School District, and it is always held at an exclusive location. This year is no different, other than it may be the best one yet! Here are some of the featured Employers and Speakers:

  • Amy Rolando – MinWorx Health (MSIA member)              
  • Pamela Brann – Cast & Crew
  • Amir Sharifi – Tesla                                                                     
  • Yvonne Lavadores – Disneyland Resort
  • Mark Walls – Safety National (MSIA member)                    
  • Rachel Fikes – Rising Medical Solutions (MSIA member)
  • Justin Romine – Marriott International                                
  • Todd Beresford – The Cleveland Clinic
  • Treesia Richins – Discount Tire                                               
  • Wendy Lanphere – CCMSI (MSIA member)
  • Lev Pobirsky – Ashley Furniture                                              
  • Ellen Sapp – GardaWorld Security
  • Katy Harp – Sierra Pacific Industries                                    
  • Robert Townsend – Bardavon (MSIA member) 
  • Dawn Watkins – LA Unified School District (retired)   
  • Bill Zachry – CompSense (MSIA Annual Meeting Guest Speaker)

Register NOW! National Council of Self-Insurers

Advance Notice - NCCI Montana & Countrywide Systems Results – Webinar June 10

Sponsored by PACBLU & CCMSI (Registration will open soon)

As part of the MSIA commitment to the Montana Workers’ Compensation system we are again hosting NCCI for their Webinar presentation, Montana & Countrywide System Results on June 10 at 10a MDT. Advance registration will be required - - registration will open on May 20 right after the Building Systems That Hold When People Don’t presentation. This MSIA Webinar is sponsored by PacBlu and CCMSI, providing assistance to allow everyone involved with the Montana system to attend at no cost.

Based on this year’s NCCI filing, Montana loss costs will see an overall average change of -5%, indicating Montana WC costs continue to go down.

MSIA has received approval for the MT WC Claims Examiner and our application for the MT Insurance Producer CE credit is pending. Advance Registration will be required – when registration opens on May 20. This Webinar is sponsored by d                

Contact Misty Steed MSteed@PacBlu.com 907-301-2084              

Contact Scott Sexton Scott.Sexton@CCMSI.com 612-309-0110

WCRI CompScope – Claim Costs are Increasing

The Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) annually releases data from 18 study states, commonly known as CompScope (Montana is not one of the study states). Each year the CompScope studies provide insights into how the workers’ compensation systems in these states – which are not a bad representation generally of the US workers’ compensation systems – is functioning regarding the costs of claims. Each state is reported on individually and WCRI provides an analysis of a comparison of all of the states.

This year, WCRI “found that total workers’ compensation claim costs grew by an average of 6 percent per year from 2022 to 2025 in the median study state.”

The increase reflects sustained growth in the last few years across all major components of a claim, including medical payments, indemnity benefits, and benefit delivery expenses,” said Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research at WCRI. “Workers’ compensation costs were fairly flat through 2022, but in the last few years, costs began to rise again, driven by increasing wages, higher medical prices, longer disability duration, and rising costs to administer claims.” (Negrusa presented the December 2025 MSIA Webinar, Advanced Practitioners and WC Claims Outcomes).

 From the WCRI release,

·    Medical payments per claim increased, primarily by price growth for medical services rather than changes in utilization, with high-cost claims a key driver of growth in some states.

·    Indemnity benefits per claim continued to rise, as longer durations of temporary disability placed upward pressure on benefits; wages for injured workers continued to grow but at a slower pace in more recent years.

·    Benefit delivery expenses per claim grew steadily, reflecting increases in medical cost containment expenses and litigation expenses.

·    Cost growth was widespread across states, with most study states experiencing rising total costs per claim and increases in most cost components.

The study states are Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. 

If you are interested in seeing a copy of one of the state reports, please contact the MSIA office.

Welcome New MSIA Member – CorVel

CorVel Corporation (NASDAQ: CRVL) applies technology, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing, to enhance the management of episodes of care and related health care costs. We partner with employers, third-party administrators, insurance companies, and government agencies in managing workers’ compensation and health, auto, and liability services. Our diverse suite of solutions combines our integrated technologies with a human touch. CorVel’s customized services, delivered locally, are backed by a national team to support our partners and their customers and patients.

For more information contact Nick Holstein at nick_holstein@corvel.com or 303-518-5657.