Winter 2019/2020

Painting by Numbers: Workers' Comp Drug Costs in Broad Strokes

References

  1. Hernandez I, Good CB, Cutler DM, et al. The contribution of new product entry versus existing product inflation in the rising costs of drugs. Health Affairs. 2018 https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05147
  2. Brooks M. Nearly half of the US population takes prescription drugs. MedScape. May 8, 2019. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/912777
  3. Picchi A. Drug prices in 2019 are surging with hikes at 5 times inflation. CBS News Moneywatch. July 1, 2019. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/drug-prices-in-2019-are-surging-with-hikes-at-5-times-inflation/
  4. Observations on trends in prescription drug spending. 2016. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. https://aspe.hhs.gov/system/files/pdf/187586/Drugspending. Questioning Costs: A Field Guide to Fee Schedules
  5. Kacik A. Branded-drug price hikes dwarf higher utilization of lower-cost generics. Modern Healthcare. November 16, 2018. https://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20181116/NEWS/181119947/branded-drug-price-hikes-dwarf-higher-utilization-of-lower-cost-generics
  6. A painful pill to swallow: U.S. vs. international prescription drug prices. U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Staff. September 2019. https://waysandmeans.house.gov/sites/democrats.waysandmeans.house.gov/files/documents/U.S.%20vs.%20International%20Prescription%20Drug%20Prices_0.pdf
  7. Campbell K. Why are prescription drug prices rising? U.S. News Health. February 6, 2019. https://health.usnews.com/health-care/for-better/articles/2019-02-06/why-are-prescription-drug-prices-rising
  8. Thumula V, Wang D, Liu TC. Interstate variations in dispensing of opioids, 5th edition. Workers Compensation Research Institute. July 2019 https://www.wcrinet.org/images/uploads/files/wcri6885.pdf
  9. Newman J. FDA approval could impact workers’ compensation: generic form of Lyrica significantly reduces medical exposure. Collins Lacy Workers’ Compensation Law Blog. September 5, 2019. https://www.collinsandlacy.com/fda-approval-could-impact-workers-compensation-claims/
  10. Arnautovic N. Workers compensation and prescription drugs – 2018 update. NCCI. January 2019. https://www.ncci.com/Articles/Documents/Insights_ResearchBrief_WC_Prescription_Drugs-2018.pdf
  11. Paduda J. Prescription drug management in workers’ compensation – the fifteenth annual survey. CompPharma, LLC. 2018. https://comppharma.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/2018-CompPharma-Rx-Drug-Mng-Survey-Public.pdf

RxInformer

Since 2010, the semi-annual RxInformer clinical journal has been a trusted source of timely information and guidance for workers’ comp payers on how best to manage the care of injured worker claimants and plan for the challenges that lay ahead. The publication is an important part of Healthesystems’ proactive approach to advocating for quality care of injured workers while managing the costs associated with treatment.
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