Today’s issue of WorkCompRecap features the release of the results report from CompPharma’s 18th Annual Survey of Prescription Drug Management in Workers’ Compensation.
Key findings include that after a seven-year decline, prescription drug costs rose slightly, with nearly one-third of survey respondents reporting an increase in pharmacy spend. Amounts spent on opioids, however, continued their downward trend with a 12.5% decrease from 2020 to 2021. The report also notes that at 13.4%, opioids’ share of respondents pharmacy is at its lowest in the history of the survey. Payers remain concerned, especially when it comes to legacy opioid patients, and are interested in offering alternatives. Physician dispensing of drugs also remains a top concern, with respondents rating it as the single largest problem in workers’ compensation pharmacy.