Severe on-the-job injuries cause great pain and distress. The purpose of workers’ compensation is to help cover your expenses while you are subsequently out of work due to your injuries. This is an essential program that employers take part in to cover themselves and their employees.
Aside from wage compensation, Workers’ Comp insurers are also responsible for paying for opiods, better known as prescription narcotic painkillers. The New York Times reports an annual $1.4 billion spent on opiods by insurers. These insurers are looking into other methods of pain relief due to a rising prescription cost coupled with an increased American dependence on medications.
Studies are increasingly suggesting that painkillers might not work as well as they seem, and insurers are taking note of this. Opiods, such as Duragesic, OxyContin and Percocet, undoubtedly help relieve severe pain during injury recovery. Still, these medications are highly addictive and many people use them unnecessarily.
There is also the mindset in American society that people don’t need to use other treatment measures if they can simply take pain medications. Massage therapy, chiropractic care and physical therapy are all other reliable methods of recovery that don’t automatically involve medicines. Still, these methods take time and most people choose the easiest way to relieve pain.
Unfortunately, this overreliance on opiods can make the drugs too costly for patients who really need them. Some insurers may even pull out of the programs due to heightened costs. It is important to discuss your needs with a NY Workers Comp lawyer who specializes in Workers’ Compensation so that you get all of the resources you deserve.
Markhoff & Mittman is a workers’ compensation and social security disability law firm that represents injured workers and their families who live in New York.
