Reviewing pharmacy bills in Arkansas workers' comp
Arkansas Workers' Compensation Rule 30 provides for the review of pharmacy bills in Arkansas workers' comp. Savings, however, may be somewhat limited as some pharmacies and drug billing services do not bill above the AWCC fee schedule allowance. The decision regarding which pharmacy bills, if any, to send for review is up to the claims professional. It is important to note, however, that the cost of many drugs has increased significantly, and charges for medication are frequently exceeding the cost of the physician visit.

Related/unrelated drugs
It is not unusual for claimants to be receiving unrelated medication, either from the treating physician, or another physician, concurrently with treatment for a workers' comp injury. Because no drugs are designed specifically for use in a physical injury or workers' comp case, and most drugs have more than one indication for use, it can be difficult to distinguish which drugs are related to an injury.

Off-label use
Drugs also are commonly prescribed in cases of work injury for a purpose that does not match the official FDA approved "category" or "uses." This is called "off-label" use. For example, although a drug is listed for epilepsy, high blood pressure, or depression in drug references, it may be prescribed for pain management of a work injury in accordance with accepted medical standards and practice.

Reviewing drug bills along side the claimant's billing history—as Systemedic does, versus simply re-pricing—is useful in identifying unrelated drugs and may provide a clue about unrelated medical conditions that might be impacting a claimant's treatment and recovery.

Drug info for the "Top 200" most prescribed drugs
You may link below to description and usage summaries for the top 200 most prescribed drugs in the U.S. For each drug listed, you can review a general description, classification, clinical pharmacology, indicators and usage, dosage, adverse reactions, abuse, and potential for dependence.

Keep in mind the concept of "off-label" use, described in the commentary above, as you browse the

For a listing of the "Top 20" most prescribed drugs in Arkansas workers' comp, go to our Top 20 page.