July 2025
 Adopted Rules 2 and 16 Effective July 1, 2025
The updated Rule 16: Utilization Standards eliminates a longstanding requirement that a physician personally examine an injured worker in-person within the first three visits post-injury. The DOWC also adopted HIPAA X12 standards for electronic billing of medical claims, effective January 1, 2026.
Rule 2: Insurance Premium and Payroll Surcharges received formatting changes by the Division of Workers' Compensation (DOWC). The surcharge rates remain the same.
2025 Legislative Update
The 2025 Colorado Legislative Session adopted two bills that impact workers' compensation in Colorado. The 2025 Legislative Update briefly highlights some of the key substantive and procedural changes these bills address, DOWC rule changes, form and publication updates, and additional pertinent changes affecting workers' compensation in Colorado.
Amy Kingston, Manager of Claims and Employer Programs, and Michelle Sisk, Administrative Law Judge and Manager of Policy and Compensation Compliance, are hosting the 2025 Legislative Updates webinar to cover pertinent changes to workers’ compensation law. The session will start at 11:00 a.m. MT on August 12, 2025, and you must register in advance using the Zoom.us link to attend the webinar.
 Major Innovations Coming to Colorado Claims
The DOWC is embarking on a system upgrade to enhance how the DOWC serves you. CoCo, the DOWC's internal claims database and management system, is the focal point of this initiative. The new system will feature an updated, user-friendly design that automates work processes where possible, significantly reducing the need for batch processing. The new system, which will be called CoComp, will enable external stakeholders, including injured workers, employers, insurance carriers, medical providers, and attorneys, to file claims for compensation and access their relevant claim information. Furthermore, the system will also be capable of managing medical provider databases, streamlining access to information about providers authorized to treat injured workers. At this time, internal release of CoComp is scheduled for July 2026, with the external release to follow in the fall of 2027. If you have questions, please email Education & Outreach at cdle_dowc_communications@state.co.us.
Save the Date for March 2026
The Colorado Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference (CWCEC) will be back at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs from March 9-11, 2026. Get ready to join hundreds of industry peers for an informative and memorable three days. The best way you can stay up-to-date at this time is to ensure you’re registered for the DOWC Colorado Workers' Compensation Educational Conference email list on GovDelivery.
Upcoming Electronic Billing Requirement and Webinar
The DOWC has adopted national HIPAA X12 standards for electronic billing. Over the past year, it received more than 1,200 disputes caused by providers mailing paper medical bills and records, which often went unacknowledged. Moving to electronic billing will improve tracking, protect patient information, and enhance efficiency and cost savings. Starting January 1, 2026, providers submitting 25 or more workers’ compensation bills each month must switch to electronic submissions, and payers (excluding self-insured employers) must accept them in HIPAA-compliant 837 format. Preparations should begin now. A webinar on July 15 at 12 p.m. will cover these requirements and how to get started. No registration is needed to join live, and a recording will be available afterward.
Medical Providers Have a New Resource
The Division's Provider Relations team supports all healthcare providers who treat injured workers. They know that working through the workers' compensation system can be difficult, and they are eager to help. You can reach them via email at cdle_dowc_provider_relations@state.co.us or visit the Provider Relations website.
DIME Recruitment Success
The DOWC has recently added 24 new Division Independent Medical Examination (DIME) doctors to the panel. This is due to the DIME team’s efforts to inform and connect with doctors about Rule 11 updates, including final medical records packets and changes in DIME payments. If you are a provider and have questions about joining the DIME panel, please contact the DIME Unit at cdle_IMEunit@state.co.us.
New Claims Adjusting Training Series
The DOWC is excited to announce the launch of the Claims Adjusting Training Series, a new video-based learning resource designed to support the handling of claims within the Colorado workers’ compensation system. This series focuses on skills-based learning and is designed to enhance professional skills and familiarity with Colorado’s unique regulatory environment, ultimately delivering better outcomes for all. The first modules are available now on the DOWC’s Events and Training Webpage and through the links below.
You are encouraged to watch for updates as we expand this training series to cover essential topics, including First Reports of Injury, calculating indemnity benefits, closing claims, and additional topics for handling claims in the Colorado system.
Claims Q&A Webinar Recording
The Claims Management Unit recently hosted a Q&A webinar to address questions previously submitted and questions that came up during the session. A recording of that webinar, along with slides and an auto-generated transcript, is now available on Vimeo.
Are You Signed Up?
Have you checked to ensure you receive the email newsletters you’d like? You can update your subscription preferences at any time by visiting the GovDelivery sign-up form. There are six topics available, and you can sign up for text alerts. At any time, you can utilize that same form to update or remove subscriptions, including for text alerts. You may also text “stop” in response to a text alert to unsubscribe from text messages. If you have any questions, please email Education & Outreach at cdle_dowc_communications@state.co.us.
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