Massachusetts Sues Purdue Pharma for Illegally Marketing Opioids and Profiting From Opioid Epidemic

More than 670 Massachusetts Residents Prescribed Purdue Opioids Died from Opioid-Related Overdoses since 2009; Purdue Sales Reps Made 150,000 Visits to Medical Offices Since 2008, Sold 70 Million Doses Generating $500 Million in Revenue

Attorney General Maura Healey sued Purdue Pharma L.P. and Purdue Pharma Inc. (Purdue) for misleading prescribers and consumers about the addiction and health risks of their opioids, including OxyContin, to get more people to take these drugs, at higher and more dangerous doses, and for longer periods of time to increase the companies’ profits.

Opioid Litigation: Anticipated Positive Impact on Workers' Compensation Systems

The increase, in both the number of settlements and magnitude of opioid lawsuits being filed, is anticipated having a positive outcome on workers' compensation systems that have suffered the burden of opioid addiction and death in epidemic proportions.

N.J. boosts public workers' insurance coverage for alcoholism, drug addiction

Obesity is a front page story in NJ every day as Governor Christie struggles to loose weight. While the Governor spoke in April 2013 about revising the state's workers' compensation system, he has been silent on the subject after his initial announcement. With an election quickly approaching in November he has turned to the endorsement of legislation to treat drug addiction  mental illness and obesity.  All of these efforts are strong indicators that a healthier workforce is being encouraged and will ultimately benefit the workers' compensation system by reducing pre-existing and co-existing conditions. Today's post was shared by WCBlog and comes from www.nj.com

Gov. Chris Christie, shown here in Asbury Park at an unrelated event today, announced that the state's health benefits plan for public workers will cover alcoholism and drug addiction the same as other mental illnesses starting next year.Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-Ledger More than 200,000 public workers in New Jersey will get enhanced insurance coverage for mental illnesses such as alcoholism and drug addiction beginning next year, Gov. Chris Christie announced today. A committee of state and union officials approved "mental health parity" on Friday for the state's second-largest health benefits plan. It means the same level of coverage now provided for a biologically-based mental illness — such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder — will apply to other types of illnesses such as alcoholism, drug addiction and eating disorders. The expansion is expected to cost "less than $5.1 million a year" and will affect more than 217,000 current and retired workers enrolled in the State Health Benefits Program, Christie's office said in a news release today. The insurance plan covers state, county and local government workers as well as employees of New Jersey's public colleges and universities, and their dependent family members. Along with that change, the committee approved "four new lower-cost health plan options" and a new "wellness program" that seeks to encourage healthier lifestyles by offering workers gift cards worth $100 to $250 per person every...

[Click here to see the rest of this post]

Found on

Related articles

• Work Comp Steps Up to ACA (workers-compensation.blogspot.com)
• Workers compensation rates to decline in Oregon in 2014 (workers-compensation.blogspot.com)
• FL Workers' Compensation May Be Going Up (workers-compensation.blogspot.com)
• Report Recommends Raising Workers' Compensation Premiums (workers-compensation.blogspot.com)
• State files charges against city business (workers-compensation.blogspot.com)
• Workers' Compensation Benefits, Employer Costs Rise with Economic Recovery (workers-compensation.blogspot.com)
• Questionable Workers Comp Claims Report: Fewer Claims and More Disputes (workers-compensation.blogspot.com)

Doctors, Patients and Opioid Abuse

Getting to the real reasons why doctors prescribe opioids to opioid abusers is an apparent challenge to the essence of the nation's workers' compensation system. In a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine it is revealed that doctors continue to prescribe opioids to abusers because of "...Recent changes in medicine's philosophy of pain treatment, cultural trends in Americans' attitudes toward suffering, and financial disincentives for treating addiction ..."

Until the workers' compensation medical delivery program furnishes treatment delivery in an effective and efficient manner the challenge of drug addiction will tragically continue.

More about drug addiction

Workers' Compensation: Physicians Petition to Limit Opioid Abuse

Jul 27, 2012

Pharmaceutical reform has been a major topic of interest and reform efforts nationally in the workers' compensation arena. More particularly the alledged abuse of opioids have received particular attention. Several physicians ...

http://workers-compensation.blogspot.com/

Whose to Blame for Opioid Abuse in Workers' Compensation Claims?

May 24, 2012

A recent Texas case holding an employer liable holding an employed liable for a fatal opioid overdose arising out of work-related event highlights again that, the workers' compensation medical delivery system just isn't ...

http://workers-compensation.blogspot.com/

Workers' Compensation: Nursing Home Abuse: Drugging of Patients

Jan 28, 2012

Nursing Home Abuse: Drugging of Patients. Many seriously injured workers end up living in nursing homes for convenience and care. Workers compensation act usual pay for nursing home care, but do they really know what ...

http://workers-compensation.blogspot.com/

Workers' Compensation: Workers Compensation Insurance ...

Oct 28, 2009

The Wall Street Journal reports today about a claim against pharmacies as a result of customer drug abuse. In the State of Nevada a case is pending that may confer liability upon a drugstore for the consequences of an ...

http://workers-compensation.blogspot.com/

Related articles

• Italy's Supreme Court Rules Cell Phone Brain Cancer Work Related
• Laboratory Workers and Contacts Warned of Accidental Flu Pandemic
• California Takes an Austerity Axe to Workers Compensation
• Hot Topics in Workers Compensation Law 2013