A Balancing Act: Rx Costs for Workers Comp Claims
Prescription Drug Prices Up, But Usage Down
Prescription drug costs make up 13%–14% of an overall workers compensation claim, on average. That’s been the case for many years now. However, behind those numbers something interesting is happening: the price of drugs continues to rise, but we’re using fewer of them.
NCCI’s research brief, “Workers Compensation and Prescription Drugs—2018 Update,” breaks down the major factors that make up overall prescription drug costs for the industry. Among the findings:
- Drug costs per claim have gone down due to lower utilization
- Prescription drug prices continue to rise, although at a slower rate than in recent years
- The number of opioid prescriptions continue to decrease as doctors opt for alternative treatments
- The top three drugs—Lyrica, Oxycontin, and Gabapentin—account for more than 15% of all prescription drug costs
For more details on these and other findings, access the complete report.
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