Legislation Planned to Address Excessive Costs for Prescription Topical Drugs in Workers’ Compensation

Most employers and their insurance resources are aware of the abusive cost structures associated with prescription compound topical drugs/creams being sold to our Commonwealth’s injured workers. The central objection about the cost is that the ingredients and compounds, essentially, are versions of readily available over-the-counter drugs, sold publicly at fractions of the cost of the compound drug as a final product. Among the 50 states, Pennsylvania has the highest share of prescription cost reimbursement for these compound drugs. Other states have addressed this issue legislatively.

Please see the announcement about legislation being introduced in the Pennsylvania State Senate to address this issue. This issue ought to be bipartisan and in many cases (though not in all) this issue will be a shared concern about drug efficacy, stopping abuse and providing access to credible care. If you have interest in supporting this legislative effort, or in requesting that other Pennsylvania State Senators co-sponsor this legislation or similar efforts, please share the contents of this link with your government relations office for their direct follow up.