Bismarck, ND – WSI recently announced that it has partnered with Cordant Health Solutions to assist in the coordination of medication monitoring for injured workers on chronic opioid therapy. Monitoring of drug testing is a component of WSI’s Chronic Opioid Therapy medical policy. The services provided by Cordant Health Solutions replace those previously managed by Ameritox Ltd.
The following is an overview of the process for medication monitoring pertaining to chronic opioid therapy:
- Cordant Health Solutions analyzes WSI’s pharmacy data to identify injured workers who have been on opioid therapy for 90 consecutive days for treatment of pain.
- Cordant Health Solutions contacts the WSI claims adjuster to request authorization to coordinate drug testing for an injured worker meeting the criteria listed above.
- The WSI claims adjuster reviews the identified injured worker’s file to assess the need for drug testing. Factors taken into consideration of this decision include whether WSI has record of previous drug testing, and if so, the date, type and scope of the testing.
- If the WSI claims adjuster approves drug testing, Cordant Health Solutions contacts the last prescriber of record to collect information on current medications and inquire about the next upcoming visit.
- Cordant Health Solutions sends a laboratory kit with collection instructions to the prescriber. A provider may bill WSI for collection using CPT® code 99000.
- Cordant Health Solutions sends results of the drug testing to both the prescriber and WSI.
Cordant Health Solutions performs definitive testing to quantify the presence of prescribed, non-prescribed and illicit drugs in all samples. A provider may utilize laboratory services other than Cordant Health Solutions to conduct drug testing. However, it is WSI’s expectation the testing is comparable in type and scope, i.e. a provider must conduct definitive testing for prescribed, non-prescribed, and illicit drugs.
Source: ND WSI