This is the first study in an annual series that benchmarks the cost, price, and utilization of prescription drugs in workers’ compensation. 

For those engaged in workers’ compensation public policy debates, this study provides detailed comparisons that may be useful when debating such issues as: pharmacy fee schedules, physician prescribing patterns, medical cost drivers, laws that mandate the use of generics when available, and laws that regulate physician dispensing of prescription drugs at the office. 

The 16 states currently included in the study are California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. The data are for injuries arising from October 1, 2005 to September 30, 2006, with prescriptions through March 31, 2007.

Individual state reports are available for Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. 

The benchmark measures presented include:

Cost Metrics

• average payment for prescription per claim with prescription

Price Metrics

• average price per pill
• average price per prescription

Utilization Metrics

• average number of pills per claim with prescriptions
• average number of prescriptions per claim with prescriptions
• average number of visits to a dispensing point
• average number of prescriptions per visit
• average number of pills per prescription

Prescription Benchmarks for Wisconsin. Dongchun Wang, Richard A. Victor. March 2010. WC-10-14.

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