The New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Administration (WCA) governed by the New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Act (Chapter 52, Article 1 NMSA 1978) as well as applicable rules found within Title II, Chapter of the New Mexico Administrative Code.

Statutes

The complete and current version of the New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Act can be found by clicking here on the link. The New Mexico statutes and rules are available free online through the New Mexico Compilation Commission, at: New Mexico Statutes and Court Rules.

EDI Director’s Order

EDI Claims Standard Order of the Director, effective November 7, 2025, which establishes the requirements, formatting, and procedures for filing EDI data with the NM WCA pursuant to the IAIABC 3.1 EDI claims standard.

2026 Rule Amendment

The Workers’ Compensation Administration (WCA) has finalized amendments to Parts 4 and 7 of its administrative rules. These amendments take effect on April 7, 2026.

For reference, redlined versions of the final proposed changes are available below, along with the WCA’s Transmittal Forms and Concise Explanatory Statements.

What changed

Part 4  11.4.4.15 – Approval of Attorney Fees and Liens
This amendment clarifies the requirements for worker attorney fee petitions, especially when fees are contested or meet or exceed the $30,000 attorney fee cap. The change is intended to strengthen protections for injured workers and give judges clearer guidance when determining reasonable fees.

Part 7 11.4.7.12 – Inpatient Admissions, Case Management, and Utilization Review
The WCA is required by law to establish a case management system under Section 52-4-3 NMSA 1978. This amendment strengthens nurse case management services for injured workers by removing a provision that had unnecessarily limited communication by case managers.

WCA Rules

The New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Administration procedural rules are found in Title II, Chapter 4 of the New Mexico Administrative Code.