You may recall our blog from last week announcing the long awaited FDA approval of generic versions of the drug, Lyrica (pregabalin). While the FDA’s announcement sparked joy among all in the workers’ compensation industry, it was not until today that pregabalin became available for pricing and allocation in CMS’ maintained Workers’ Compensation Medicare Set-Aside […] Continue
On Monday, the FDA issued a press release announcing the approval of generic versions of the drug Lyrica (pregabalin). Those of us operating in the workers compensation industry are all too familiar with Lyrica. It’s a high-priced medication utilized for the treatment of pain related to nerve damage, and its inclusion within Workers’ Compensation Medicare […] Continue
Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule, (CMS-4180-F) impacting Medicare Advantage Plans (MAP) and Part D programs. The rule aims to ensure that patients have greater transparency into the cost of prescription drugs, so that beneficiaries can compare options and also enables MAPs to negotiate better prices for […] Continue
In February, the California Workers’ Compensation Institute (CWCI) published a report that had some interesting findings regarding the use of prescription drugs. With respect to utilization, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen now rank above opioids as the most commonly prescribed medication class for workers’ compensation claimants. In terms of reimbursement, CWCI […] Continue
Recently, the FDA approved the first generic Narcan nasal spray to treat opioid overdose. Narcan temporarily reverses the effects of opioid analgesics and is essentially an antidote for opioid overdose. While generics of the injectable version of this medication, Evzio, have been available for quite some time, a generic of the nasal spray has not. […] Continue