New Workers’ Comp. Opioid Prescribing Rule Effective

The Bureau of Workers’ Compensation’s (BWC) new rule governing the prescribing of opioids to treat Ohioans injured on the job took effect last week.

The changes target the prevention of opioid dependence by encouraging appropriate prescribing by physicians certified by the BWC.

Reimbursement for opioid prescriptions will now be limited to claims in which current best medical practices are followed. Those practices include the development of an individualized treatment plan, risk assessment and close monitoring of the progress and improvement in function of the worker.

BWC will also now provide treatment for opioid dependence that arises from the use of opioid medications covered by BWC.  Finally, a new peer-review process addresses a prescriber’s failure to comply with best practices. Corrective action steps range from warning letters to decertifying physicians from BWC’s network of approved providers.

Through BWC pharmacy improvements, total opioid doses have decreased by 18.9 million, or 44 percent, since 2010.  9/30/2016