Today’s issue of WorkCompRecap features Enlyte’s release of the Fourth portion of its 2021 Mitchell Pharmacy Solutions Drug Trends Series Report, which examines “High Impact Drug Classes” such as topicals, compound kits, combo packs, and specialty medications, which represent proportionately low utilization, but can be associated with exponentially higher costs.
Key findings included that topical and specialty classes accounted for a higher percentage of total cost in 2021. While usage of opioids and compounds continues to decrease, topicals and specialty medications accounted for a slightly higher share in 2021. In 2021, the number of injured workers using topical medications rose to 15.2%., confirming a rising trend experienced over the last 3 years. The report also notes that 4 of the top 5 specialty disease conditions (by cost) had double-digit increases in cost per claim from 2021-22, and 4% of all claims are using specialty drugs (up 11.1% from 2020) typically used to manage complex, chronic conditions with significant costs.