HealtheSystems Regulatory Recap for this week included an announcement about WCRI's latest publication: 

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) published the sixth edition of their report on Interstate Variation and Trends in Workers’ Compensation Drug Payments, which provides a high-level view of changing prescription drug costs across 31 states.

The analysis is based on prescriptions dispensed for non‑COVID-19 claims, with injuries occurring within three years of the prescription fill date (Q1 of 2022 to Q1 of 2025) and paid under workers’ comp each quarter.

According to the WCRI, the long-term decline in prescription payments since 2015 has reversed, with prescription payments per medical claim increasing in a majority of the 31 study states. This increase in prescription payments is driven by higher cost per prescription and not an increase in prescribing.

Read their full announcement here.  You can find out more information on this 6th Edition of Interstate Variation and Trends in Workers’ Compensation Drug Payments, including details on how to get a copy, on our website.