Ohio may foot drug treatment bill of injured workers
Ohio workers who got hooked on pain pills after a workplace injury may be able to get treatment paid for by the Bureau of Workers Compensation.
The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Board of Directors approved a new rule this week to allow payment of drug addiction treatment in some cases and also reject payment of prescription painkillers if doctors aren't trying alternative treatments.
The rule now moves to the Ohio General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review. If approved there, it becomes effective Oct. 1.
“We must ensure best practices are followed at the onset of an injury and throughout the course of treatment so injured workers receive care that improves their condition,” said Sarah Morrison, workers' compensations' administrator and CEO. “Ohio’s injured workers deserve the best possible treatment that addresses their medical needs without facing the life-changing consequences of opioid dependence or addiction.”
The rule aims to prevent opioid dependence and encourage physicians to employ best medical practices when treating injured workers with opioids, such as Vicodin and OxyContin.
If approved by legislators, the bureau will be able to approve payment for drug treatment of workers who became addicted from the medications covered by the Bureau of Workers' Compensation. Treatment for dependence could include psychological counseling and medication assisted treatment for recovery.
The bureau also would not reimburse for opioid prescriptions written by physicians who fail to use best medical practices, such as an individualized treatment plan and monitoring of progress, and risk assessment. And doctors who don't follow the rule may find themselves entirely removed from the list of approved providers.
The new rule would be used in the bureau's peer review process to address physicians who fail to comply with those practices. Corrective actions range from written warnings to removing the physician from the bureau's network of approved providers.
The rule change comes as Ohio continues to look for ways to reverse the tide of people becoming addicted to opiates or dying from drug overdoses. In 2014, the most recent statewide data available, a record-breaking 2,482 Ohioans died from a drug overdose, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
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The Bureau of Workers Compensation previously made changes to its pharmacy program in 2010 when it implemented a drug formulary, a list of prescription drugs that are determined to provide the greatest overall value. Use of the drug formulary has led to a continuous decline in the number of opoids being prescribed to injured workers, dropping 23.8 million doses, or 41 percent, since its implementation.
jison@Gannett.com
Twitter: @JonaIson
