As workers roll through summer in the Apple State, Washington officials recently released some news of interest to both employers and employees.
The Department of Labor & Industries has changed the amount of time doctors can prescribe narcotics (opioids) for injured workers without agency authorization from 12 to six weeks.
Opioid Use After 6 Weeks Depends on Doctors’ Use of Best Practices
After six weeks, L&I insurance coverage for opioids will depend on doctors’ use of best practices. The required best practices include monitoring whether workers are recovering their ability to perform normal activities and screening them for risks of side-effects or addiction.
“These changes will improve pain treatment for injured workers as well as their safety during recovery,” commented Jaymie Mai, L&I Pharmacy Director. “For some doctors, measuring physical function and screening for risk may be new practices,” added Mai.
The changes are consistent with the Department of Health’s pain management rules and are part of L&I’s ongoing efforts to improve pain treatment for injured workers.
According to Mai, “We are pleased that high dosage levels have been coming down and we are seeing fewer deaths among injured workers due to pain medication.”
Nationwide, since 2007 opioid-related deaths have exceeded accidental deaths due to motor-vehicles and firearms. Washington has been among the states with the highest rate of prescription opioid-related deaths.
Meantime, officials announced that for many workers injured prior to July 1, 2012, time-loss and pension benefit payments will increase 3.4 percent based on the change in the state’s average wage.
State law requires that benefits be recalculated each year to reflect the change in the state’s average wage from the previous calendar year.
Pension Benefits to Survivors Also See Increase
The increase also applies to pension benefits paid to family members of those who died due to a work-related accident or disease.
As a result of the increase, the new maximum monthly benefit will be $5,159.50, or 120 percent of the state’s average monthly wage. Less than 4 percent of L&I claimants receiving wage-replacement benefits collect the maximum.
The increase went into effect on July 1, 2013.
Author Michael B. Stack, CPA, Director of Operations, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. is an expert in employer communication systems and part of the Amaxx team helping companies reduce their workers compensation costs by 20% to 50%. He is a writer, speaker, and website publisher. www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com. Contact: mstack@reduceyourworkerscomp.com.
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