States take varying actions to curb opioid abuse

Authorities in Oklahoma, Texas, and Ohio are also taking action to address prescription drug overdoses.

Oklahoma lawmakers are considering legislation that would prevent physicians from prescribing a controlled substance unless they used the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics Prescription Monitoring program. H.B. 2574 is aimed at preventing doctor shopping by patients.

The state's monitoring program is already in place. The proposed bill would require physicians to view a patient's history and determine how many physicians have prescribed controlled substances.

Report identifies risky opioid prescribing practices (01/18/13)
Food and Drug Administration to examine opioids, chronic pain (02/04/13)
Medical marijuana users denied ADA protections (12/17/12)
WCRI study highlights variations in narcotics use among comp systems (07/21/11)
Better understanding can help employers address opioid crisis among injured workers (01/28/13)

Texas officials are targeting doctor shoppers, as well as physicians who overprescribe painkillers, through an online tool they hope will be available in a few months. The Department of Public Safety hopes to make available online collected prescription histories of state residents.

In Ohio, a so-called pill mill physician was sentenced to more than four terms of life imprisonment for illegally prescribing pain pills that resulted in the deaths of four people. Dr. Paul H. Volkman was the subject of an investigation by Drug Enforcement Agency Diversion Investigators and was convicted last year of 18 crimes.

Read more at the WorkersComp Forum homepage.

February 27, 2012

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