Each year, tens of thousands of people in the US die from opioid overdose. This deadly epidemic has affected families and communities throughout the country. The impact of opioid abuse shows up in our schools through the devastation it can wreak on employees, students and their families. It’s also seen in your health insurance and workers’ compensation insurance costs. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the medical costs of opioids have increased from $300 million in 2004 to $2.6 billion in 2016.
California Workers’ Compensation Institute (CWCI) found that opioids are still the most common type of prescription drug used to treat California injured workers with lost-time injuries. Opioids were nearly a quarter of the indemnity claim prescriptions in 2017.
In the last year, lawmakers have tried to impact the opioid crisis at both the state and federal level. Congress enacted the “Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act” (SUPPORT Act), a bipartisan bill addressing the opioid crisis. California’s own group of new laws to combat the opioid crisis, implements the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) database for prescribers.
“Opioids were nearly a quarter of indemnity claim prescriptions in 2017.”
Treatment intervention to transition injured workers from opioid medications to long-term pain management facilitates return to work and while reducing workers’ compensation medical costs. The system itself often hampers drug transition efforts. Delays and wasted resources are often caused by poor communication, inefficient care coordination, and untimely scheduling.
Many delays can be avoided if you have an effective procedure for the initial handling of injuries. A current, accurate provider directory is one simple step to prompt and effective treatment.
Helping physicians understand modified duty as one alternative helps break down barriers to opiate weaning. Physicians usually have no idea what an injured worker’s job entails. Bringing the physician to the work site prompts the physician to dig deeper into the injured worker’s pain. Patients may also benefit from a field case management nurse to educate them on the risks of opiates and their intended use.
With community groups, researchers, payors, providers, employers and lawmakers working together to combat the rise in opioid use, we are hopeful that we will soon be able to make a meaningful impact on the crisis.