Nebraska2026Did Not Pass
LB1056
Changes to Nebraska Workers' Compensation Rules
Last scannedAug 25, 2026, 3:18 AM
In one sentence
This bill updates rules about who pays for medical care, how workers choose doctors, and benefit amounts in the state's workers' compensation system.
What it does
- Requires employers to pay for interpreter services if a worker cannot understand English or another language spoken by their doctor.
- Gives injured employees the right to pick a doctor who has treated them or an immediate family member before the injury happened, provided there is documented history of treatment.
- Sets rules that limit how much doctors and hospitals can charge beyond official fee schedules or agreed-upon contracts.
- Requires annual updates to benefit amounts based on changes in the cost of living as prescribed by law.
- Defines specific terms used in workers' compensation laws, such as who counts as an immediate family member.
Who it affects
- Employers and their insurance companies
- Injured employees seeking medical care or benefits
- Doctors and hospitals providing treatment under the act
Limits and unknowns
- This bill was indefinitely postponed by the legislature, so it did not become law.
- Specific dollar amounts or exact dates for benefit changes are set by future court schedules rather than this text alone.
- The full details of how travel expenses work depend on whether a doctor is available in the worker's local community.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Immediate family member
- The employee's spouse, children, parents, stepchildren, or stepparents.
- Compensation court
- The Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court that sets rules and fees for medical services.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
Change provisions of the Nebraska Workers' Compensation Act
Official activity
Bill history
- Indefinitely postponed