Got Missouri Employees? 2025 Workers Compensation Update: Changes to the MO Employer-Paid Medical Program

---

What Is The "Missouri Employer-Paid Medical Program" For Missouri Workers Compensation Claims?

The Missouri Employer-Paid Medical Program allows employers to have certain medical-only claims excluded from their experience modification rate calculation.

Prior to 2016 the rules for excluding these medical- only claims from your experience modification rate were as follows:

• Work Comp claims didn't exceed $1,000

• Employer pays all medical costs

• No lost time

• Employer still reports all injuries

However, the 2016 rule change significantly increased the limit to the dollar amount of claims that can be excluded. Instead of fixing it at $1,000, the limit is 20% of the NCCI Split Point (email, call or message me if you want to know more about the Split Point).

• In 2018 the Split Point was $16,500 so the limit (20%) was 3,300.

• In 2019 the Split Point for Missouri Workers Compensation claims rose to $17,000, and the resulting limit was $3,400.

• In 2024 the Split Point for Missouri Work Comp claims inflated $21,000, and the updated limit became $4,200.

How Much Can Be Excluded In 2025 From Missouri Work Comp Claims?

So, if you take advantage of this program, as a reminder, remember that this amount now changes every year. That's because the NCCI Split Point is pegged to a measurement of medical inflation and adjusted annually in every NCCI state.

The Missouri Split Point in 2025 is $21,500. So, the updated limit not to exceed is $4,300 (21,500 X .20).

If you take advantage of this program, the size of the medical-only claims that you can pay and exclude from your experience mod has grown substantially. Just remember that the limit continues to change annually and that's something to remember to check if you take advantage of this unique program.

Stuart Cytron, MBA has been published in trade journals such Construction Forum St. Louis and St. Louis Business Journal among others. You can read more about Stuart and how he developed a passion for helping businesses reduce work comp expenses on his website.