I’m finishing up compiling results from the most recent survey of pharmacy management in workers comp, and had to take a break and get this out.
I just totaled up the responses to the question “How much of an issue are opioids in workers comp?”
The average response was 4.8 on a 1 to 5 scale, with 5 “extremely significant”.
This is the highest score for any question in the eight year history of the survey.
Moreover, respondents are deeply concerned about the increased risk of addiction and dependency inherent in widespread and prolonged use of these highly addictive drugs. They rated their level of concern at 4.4.
Respondents were from a variety of payers: state funds, large private insurers, TPAs and smaller regional carriers.
Kudos to WCRI, NCCI, and CWCI for raising awareness of the issue.
Next step is to put solutions in place.
Jan
11
Joe,
Were those surveyed given the opportunity to register their concern about why their PBMs didn’t make them aware of the scope of this problem any sooner?
Steve
Interestingly all the payers I know see this as the payers responsibility.
That said opioid abuse would not be on anyones radar if, as CWCI has so effectively demonstrated, some prescribers weren’t writing scripts for enough Oxycontin to euthanize a Rhino.
It certainly is the prescribing physician’s responsibility to exercise that privilege with the utmost regard for the health and wellbeing of the patient. That’s where we – all of us – should be focusing our attention.
Joe,
With all due respects to Steve his response goes to the root of the problem. PBMs have been sharing this information for years. Too many payors turned a blind eye for too long and are now paying the price. I have been at the same annual conferences that have spoken on this issue for years. NCCI has produced studies for the past 4-5 yrs on the high use of pain meds. It takes our industry way too long to act on concerns waiting until they become multi year trends. Unfortunately this delay may cost injured worker lives.
As an adjuster at SCIF in Calif, I referred oxycontin requests to UR, who denied all of them. The denials held up. Starting in 2002 I suggested to SCIF mgmt that SCIF require all adjusters to do what I did, but they refused> How much money and patients quality of life was wasted?! I have more info that is scandalous!