Emerging trends in pharmaceutical design and drug manufacturing are shifting toward presenting the market with new ways to develop medications. Specialty medications continue to be a major area of pharmaceutical development and have become widely discussed in workers’ comp due to their significant costs. Although they represent approximately 1% of drug utilization, they account for nearly 7% of prescription drug costs and represent the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. pharmaceutical market. While specialty drug products are often associated with a hefty price tag, some can offer clinical advantages when deployed for the right patient at the right time, making careful oversight and patient selection imperative to achieving desired outcomes in this space. Watch the video blog to learn more.
More stories
Electric Vehicle Collision Claims Rise 14% in the U.S. and 24% in Canada Even as Sales of New Models Slow
Mitchell published its latest Plugged-In: EV Collision Insights report today. This issue provides an overview of the most notable 2025 trends in collision claims and repair for battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and mild hybrid electric vehicles (MHEVs). While sales of new BEVs decreased approximately 2% in the U.S., claims for repairable vehicles kept climbing.
Legislative outlook for containing third-party litigation funding in 2026
As third-party litigation funding drives higher claims costs and rising premiums, find out what’s being done to curb the impact. Hear from Brian Allen and Michele Hibbert on the legislative efforts taking shape in 2026 to protect insurers and consumers.
Prescription Drug Affordability: Why Work Comp Costs Keep Rising Despite Reform Efforts
Affordability seems to be the issue of the day, and the 2026 midterm elections will likely be decided on this perception. Housing, energy, food, insurance, health care and prescription drug costs are all pain points for businesses and consumers. Controlling prescription drug costs has been one area that has proven to be elusive for policy makers, notwithstanding some creative efforts.
Utilization Review Benchmarking and Clinical Trigger Expansion Delivered 12.5x Results
Discover how large scale benchmarking helped drive 12.5x cost containment through smarter utilization management. See how data insights improved outcomes and reduced unnecessary spend.
Specialty Solutions Spotlight: Six Ways to Improve Physical Therapy Outcomes in Workers’ Compensation
While managing workers’ comp claims requires understanding the basics of physical therapy, achieving better claim outcomes can often hinge on how you influence when care starts, who delivers it and how closely progress is managed.
Navigating AI and Claim Handling in 2026
For claims professionals, 2026 marks a pivotal year for the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Claims administration has shifted from an efficiency tool to a highly scrutinized regulatory topic. The legislative arena is a complex blend of uniform guidance from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), prescriptive state laws and encouraging federal research initiatives. The core principle governing adoption of AI into claims administration is that AI must act as a support tool, and not the sole decision-maker.