There has been ongoing discussion and news reports about the growing number of Americans that are addicted to prescription pain medications. In an effort to curb prescription drug addictions and prevent death by overdose, the Colorado Workers’ Compensation Division is considering changes that will affect the way prescription pain medicine can be prescribed in workers compensation cases.
These actions are in response to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s reports showing that the milligram-per-person use of prescription opioids has increased dramatically in recent years. Typically, doctors increase the dosage when pain is not being managed, but this increase, combined with ongoing use, is what is most likely to be the cause of opiate addiction.
In Colorado workers compensation cases, chronic pain that is being treated by prescription painkillers is a trigger for the guideline that requires the patient’s urine to be tested. The downfall with the guidelines is that there is no specific dosage that calls for precautions to prevent addictions.
Washington state has led the way in making changes to prescribing guidelines, and it is likely Colorado will follow in Washington’s footsteps. Doctors in Washington are prohibited for increasing the daily opioid dose above a daily morphine equivalent of 120 milligrams. This increase is only to be used when the patient is not improving in functionality or without consulting with one of the state’s pain management experts. The reason for the consultation is to be sure that there is an agreement regarding the risk factors versus benefits.
If changes to the guidelines will negatively affect your pain management, consider consulting an experienced Colorado workers compensation attorney.
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