July 2026
 Adopted Rules 1 and 5 Effective July 15, 2026
The Division of Workers' Compensation (DOWC) has adopted changes to Rule 1: General Definitions and General Provisions and Rule 5: Claims Adjusting Requirements, effective July 15, 2026.
Rules 16 and 18 Hearing Notice
The DOWC has proposed changes to Rule 16: Utilization Standards and Rule 18: Medical Fee Schedule.
A public hearing will be held on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. MT. If you would like to attend, you must register ahead of time. All attendees are invited to testify during the hearing or to submit written testimony at any time up until the end of the hearing.
Please submit written testimony to Amy Kingston at amy.kingston@state.co.us.
2026 Legislative Updates Webpage Now Live
The DOWC has launched its centralized 2026 Legislative Update webpage. Stakeholders are encouraged to review this resource for a comprehensive overview of recent statutory changes, corresponding rule adoptions, updated forms, and revised publications impacting the Colorado workers' compensation system.
 Important Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) 3.1 and CoComp Transition Dates for Insurers
As the DOWC moves forward with the EDI 3.1 and CoComp transitions this month, please note the following critical deadlines and interim procedures. Compliance with these specific cutoff dates is required to prevent processing delays.
Important Transition Timeline
-
July 7, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. MT — Admission Cutoff: After 2:00 p.m. on July 7, all admissions must be filed exclusively through Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). Admissions sent via email to cdle_dowc_filings@state.co.us after this cutoff will not be processed.
-
July 8, 2026 — Last Day for EDI 1.0: This is the final day to submit EDI Release 1.0 claim data to the DOWC.
-
July 8, 2026 – July 19, 2026 — Interim Documentation Period: During this brief technical transition window, all supporting documentation for your admissions must be emailed directly to the cdle_dowc_filings@state.co.us inbox.
- July 9, 2026 — EDI 3.1 Go-Live: This is the first day to submit claim data using the new EDI Release 3.1 standards.
-
July 20, 2026 — Initial CoComp Portal Launch for Insurers: The CoComp portal goes live with partial functionality for insurers. Beginning on this date, supporting documentation for admissions will be uploaded through the new CoComp portal.
Trading Partner Registration
To report electronically under the new EDI Claims R3.1 standard, your organization must complete a new Trading Partner Profile Registration as soon as possible if you have not already done so.
For a full technical breakdown of the upcoming changes — including expanded Jurisdiction Claim Numbers (JCN) and new Employee Identification type qualifiers — please review the DOWC EDI Claims Release 3.1 Reminders document.
Questions & Support
For questions specifically regarding EDI 3.1 requirements and technical mandates, please contact the DOWC EDI Support Team at codowcedi@verisk.com.
Insurers: Prepare for CoComp Access
Ahead of the initial rollout, carriers, Third-Party Administrators (TPAs), and self-insured employers can now access essential onboarding resources to prepare for the July 20 launch.
A dedicated CoComp webpage for insurers has been established to house important training materials, transition timelines, system notices, and previous webinar recordings. All other external stakeholders will gain access by the fall of 2027, with relevant resources shared closer to that time.
If you have issues accessing materials, email cdle_dowc_communications@state.co.us.
New Body Part Codes for Permanent Partial Disability Awards
On July 9, 2026, the DOWC will switch to the new EDI version 3.1. The codes for Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) awards are also changing.
Right now, there are 36 body part codes. With EDI 3.1, the body code count increases. This means stakeholders will have more options and can be more specific when reporting. These new codes will be used for Final Admission and electronic reporting. However, the calculations associated with scheduled ratings are not changing.
Take the Prehearing and Settlement Conference Survey
If you're an attorney or legal support staff who has interacted with the Prehearing and Settlement Conference Unit in the last year, the DOWC wants to hear from you. Understanding your perspectives is vital to ensuring quality stakeholder experiences.
You will have two surveys to choose from. Please choose the one that applies to your position:
Please complete the survey by July 17, 2026.
For any questions, reach out to the DOWC Education & Outreach team at cdle_dowc_communications@state.co.us. If you have already completed the survey, thank you; you do not need to complete it again. We appreciate your feedback.
New Declaration of Compliance Form for Building Permit Applications
Recent legislation now requires that anyone applying for a building or construction permit for projects costing over $1 million must submit a declaration to the permitting agency.
This declaration must confirm that all workers under the permit have valid workers' compensation coverage for the duration of the permit. This must be filed before starting work on the project. The DOWC has published a Declaration of Compliance that employers can file with permitting agencies, not the DOWC, to meet this requirement.
Happening Now: Surcharge Filing Period
The surcharge filing and payment period opened on July 1, 2026.
The DOWC website offers step-by-step instructions, rules, and forms on the Surcharge Assessment page. For questions, one-on-one training sessions, or individual staff meetings, contact the Revenue Assessment team at cdle_revenueassess_dowc@state.co.us. For self-insurance permit questions, email julie.yakes@state.co.us.
 Claims Adjusting Training Series Resumes
The Claims Adjusting Training Series is a video-based learning resource designed to support the handling of claims within the Colorado workers’ compensation system.
Lesson 9: Temporary Partial Disability Benefits and Lesson 10: Offsets are now available.
All previous lessons are available on the DOWC’s Training webpage, and the DOWC’s Claims Adjusting Training Series showcase 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.
|