Insight, analysis & opinion from Joe Paduda
A family matter required my full attention last week, which was why you didn’t see any new posts on Managed Care Matters. A lot happened which we’ll reprise here quickly. Alex Swedlow of CWCI published another report on the ongoing … Continue reading What happened last week?
Read More...I wasn’t there, but certainly heard enough about it to wish I was. I’m referring to CWCI’s annual meeting held yesterday in San Francisco, a meeting that might well have been subtitled “Opioids and the Doctors who prescribe them”. The … Continue reading Docs and drugs – details on the ‘high prescribers’
Read More...This always seems like a good idea in January, looks like a not-well-thought-thru idea in July, and by December morphs into a well-it-coulda-been-worse idea. But I’ve got a short memory, so here goes – in no particular order, predictions for … Continue reading What’s up for 2011 – predictions for work comp in the Next Year
Read More...So, how’d my predictions for 2010 turn out? Well, I won’t e jumping for joy – or out any windows either. Here’s what I predicted back in January for 2010, and a (mostly) objective assessment of the accuracy thereof. 1. … Continue reading How’d those 2010 predictions turn out?
Read More...A lot happened in the work comp world in 2010 – here are the top issues discussed here on MCM. Mergers, acquisitions, and buyouts This has been a very busy year for the financial folks. OneCall Medical, Intracorp, Sedgwick, SRS, … Continue reading The top work comp stories of 2010
Read More...I’m part way through the Seventh Annual Survey of Prescription Drug Management in Workers Comp, and have a couple of initial impressions worth sharing. First, and no surprise, is the increased concern about the growth of narcotic opioid usage in … Continue reading Drug costs in workers comp – initial survey results
Read More...The good folks at CWCI just published a research report (The Cost and Utilization of Compound Drugs, Convenience Packs and Medical Foods in California WC) documenting the rise in spend on medical foods, repackaged drugs, and compound drugs from 2006 … Continue reading Medical foods and workers comp
Read More...California’s Senate will be considering AB 2779 today, a bill that would (among other things) require Prior Authorization of compound medications for work comp claimants. While there’s no question compound meds are a big issue, the bill would do nothing … Continue reading California’s compound med bill – half a loaf is worse than no loaf at all –
Read More...Just in case you thought the problems with abuse of powerful prescription drugs have been overstated, here’s a wake-up call. The CDC’s Director is taking this very seriously, saying: “Overdose with prescription drugs is one of the most serious and … Continue reading Narcotic usage – too much, or too little?
Read More...I spent a good part of the morning in a meeting discussing recent research into societal cost of prescription drug abuse. Here are a couple of stats that got my attention. Prescription drugs are now the most abused drug, surpassing … Continue reading Where are your drug dollars going?
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