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Vol. 5, Issue 28

Find Solutions & Strategies                                         July 14, 2014

Drug Formularies, Texas Style
   
Coming soon to a state near you?
In This Issue
-DRUG FORMULARIES
-LARSON'S SPOTLIGHT: PTSD, Opioid Zohydro ER, Medical Appliance, ADA Confidentiality
-MISSOURI: Settlement
-NATIONAL & STATE NEWS
-eNEWSLETTER ARCHIVES
  A Note From the Editor
      

Thanks to Robert Rassp, Deborah Kohl, Stuart Colburn, Rebecca Shafer, Mary Ann Stiles, James T. Armstrong, Richard Kissiah, and Renee Heitger for their insights on drug formularies. 

 

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Robin E. Kobayashi, JD
LexisNexis Legal & Professional Operations

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drug formularies, texas style: coming soon to  a state near you?

Karen C. Yotis, Esq., our Feature Resident Columnist, provides insights into workplace issues and the nuts and bolts of the workers' comp world.

 

As policymakers, risk managers, and insurers seek to contain medical expenditures in workers' compensation claims, pharmacy charges are lined up squarely in the cost containment crosshairs. Some government programs and an ever-growing number of commercial insurers are using closed drug formularies to keep a lid on pharmacy costs. In a recent investigation titled Impact of a Texas-Like Formulary in Other States that WCRI published in June 2014, authors Vennela Thumula and Te-Chun Liu may be moving this cost containment tool that some detractors refer to as "cook book medicine" a few baby steps closer to becoming a nationwide best practice...read more.

LARSON'S SPOTLIGHT ON RECENT CASES

Thomas A. Robinson, J.D., our Feature National Columnist, is a leading commentator and expert on the law of workers' compensation.

 

Tom Robinson thumbnailNew York: Assistant Manager's PTSD Claim Tied to Murder-for-Hire Scheme Found Compensable. A New York appellate court has held that the exacerbation of a supermarket assistant manager's preexisting PTSD arose out of and in the course of his employment when, after he called a coworker at her home to discuss a work-related matter, the coworker's husband, who thought that the manager and his wife must be having an affair...read more.

 

Federal: Massachusetts Federal Court Strikes Down State Regulation Limiting Sale of New Opioid. A federal district court, indicating that state lawmakers "may not use vague regulations to sidestep or countermand federal law" for opioid dispensing, has struck down two Massachusetts regulations that would ban or limit sales of Zohydro ER...read more.

 

Nebraska: Wheelchair Accessible Van Is "Appliance" Under Medical Care Provisions of State's Comp Act. Noting that it was a case of first impression with the state, a Nebraska appellate court has found that a wheelchair accessible van is an "appliance" under the state's Workers' Compensation Act...read more.

 

Federal: Facebook Comment Regarding Injured Worker's Medical Condition May Subject Employer to Liability under ADA. A federal district court has refused to dismiss a civil action filed against a company by a former employee who claimed that a former coworker, who processed workers' compensation claims for the company, violated � 102 of the Americans With Disabilities Act's by posting a derogatory comment about...read more.

lexisnexis legal newsroom blogs

Martin KlugMissouri: Court Compels Commission to Approve Settlement, by Martin Klug, Esq. Read it.

national & state news

National & State-by-State News on the Free Web:   

 

WCRI Releases New Edition of Medical Price Index for Workers' Compensation.

More Firefighters Die of Obesity-Related Conditions Than Fighting Fires.

Research Shows Hospital Mergers Lead to Higher Prices.

Ameritox Awarded $14.775M in Unfair Competition Case Against Millennium Laboratories.

OSHA Focuses on Accident Response, Not Injury Prevention Due to Budget Cuts.

AZ: ICA Proposes New Process for Evidence-Based Treatment Guidelines.

CA: Governor Signs AB 326 Workplace Injury Reporting Requirements.

CA: Governor Signs AB 2230 CIGA Assessments.

CA: Cal Chamber Warns Legislative Fixes to Workers Comp Will Generate More Litigation.

CA: Governor Signs SB 1446 to Help Small Employers With ACA Extension.

CA: Questions Arise Over DWP Trusts Designed to Control Workers Comp Costs.

CA: DWC Posts Corrected Spanish Language Time of Hire Pamphlet.

DE: OWC Posts New Workers Comp Benefit Rates Eff. 7-1-2014.

IL: Illinois Residents Leaving in Droves: Report Says 1 Person Every 10 Minutes.

IN: Indiana Claims Economy Thriving, Performing Higher Than Illinois.

MA: Federal Judge Enjoins Massachusetts Law Limiting Use of Opioid Zohydro ER.

MA: First Circuit to Rule on Misclassification of Janitorial Franchises.

MI: Teacher Fired for Breaking Up Fight With Broom Files for Workers Comp.

MI: Mitch Albom: Broom-Swinging Teacher Did the Right Thing.

NM: WCA Posts 1Q Insurer Scorecard.

NY: Governor Signs Medical Marijuana Bill.

NY: NY Judge Indicted for Workers Comp Fraud; Claims Attack by Toilet Lid.

NY: Court Affirms PTSD Award to Physician Assistant Threatened by Surgeon.

NY: WCB Chair Proposes Non-Acute Pain Medical Treatment Guidelines.

NY: NYCRIB Raised Workers Comp Rates by 380% Forcing Business to Close.

NY: Lawsuit Alleges Principal Injured by 4th Grader in Physical Attack.

NC: Budget Plans Would Make Industrial Commission Deputies Political Appointees.

OH: BWC Makes Headway on Plans for New Billing System.

OK: 16 State Employees Lose Jobs During Workers Comp Transition.

OK: Ex-WCC Employee Sues Commission Over Loss of Job During Transition.

OK: Governor Reappoints Judge Taylor as Presiding Judge.

OK: WCC Chairman Has High Hopes for Workers Comp Reforms.

OR: Fired SAIF Chief Claims Violation of Open Meetings Laws.

OR: WCD Implements Improved Method for Identifying Valid Employers.

OR: SAIF, Other Agencies Settle With Indian Generic Drug Manufacturer for $2.3M.

PA: OSHA Investigates Death of Temp Worker Buried Alive in Sugar.

SC: Employers Await 7.4 Percent Premium Cut That Kicks in Sept. 1.

TN: New Workers Comp Law Impacts Pro Football Players.

WV: MSHA Inspectors Cite West Virginia Coal Mine for Dozens of Violations.

ENEWSLETTER ARCHIVES

ArchivesTake a deep dive into our past eNewsletters for 2014 and prior...warning - some links to articles may not work...report any linking problems to Robin.E.Kobayashi@lexisnexis.com.

July 7, 2014: Trust in the Workplace

June 30, 2014: Early Detection of Occupational Hearing Loss

June 23, 2014: The PTSD Dilemma for Workers' Comp Claims

ACCESS 2010-2014 ARCHIVES AND ARTICLES LIST HERE.

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