The opioid crisis continues to plague America, with
recent data suggesting a person is more likely to die from an accidental opioid overdose than a car crash.
AmTrust partnered with
Optum Workers’ Comp and Auto No-Fault, a pharmacy care management company, to implement processes that reduce overall opioid prescriptions to our insured’s injured employees.
This initiative, started in mid-2018, is decreasing the number of opioids in the system, allowing injured employees to return to work as soon as medically appropriate and cutting out a potential first step towards opioid dependency. The partnership delivered immediate impact in reducing the volume and duration of prescriptions issued to the insured’s injured employees.
Opioid Prescription Impact on Small Businesses
Sarah is a hardworking small business owner. One day while restocking the shelves in her shop, Sarah feels a sharp pain in her back.
Sarah is the only employee at her shop, she decides to manage through the pain until closing.
Later that night the pain is still bothering Sarah and she decides to make an appointment with her doctor.
Sarah’s doctor prescribes her hydrocodone, a common opioid, for pain relief. This medication gives her the relief she needs to get back to running the shop, but after her first prescription runs out, she finds her daily activities become difficult once again so she asks her doctor for another script.
Over time, Sarah builds up a tolerance to hydrocodone and needs to increase the dosage to get the relief she needs to function. She finds that she is depressed and anxious and looking for opioids for relief – and thus the vicious cycle of addiction begins.
As a pharmacist, I’m proud to tell you that AmTrust is taking a proactive approach to the opioid epidemic and stories like Sarah’s. Our partnership with Optum Workers’ Comp and Auto No-Fault, a pharmacy care management company, ensures nurses review all prescriptions requiring prior authorization. This initiative has prevented nearly 13,000 prescriptions that could have been unnecessary or unsafe. The opioid epidemic directly affects workers’ compensation and AmTrust and Optum are dedicated to reducing the amount of unsafe, medically unnecessary prescriptions given to injured employees and helping them to find alternative pain management solutions.
In Sarah’s case, there may be other options like strengthening and stretching exercises, physical therapy, or non-opioid medications.
By focusing on patient safety and well-being, AmTrust has helped decreased opioid usage, improve injured employee outcomes and reduce claim costs.
Learn more about what we are doing to reduce opioid prescriptions for injured workers by visiting
amtrustfinancial.com/opioids. Download the AmTrust Opioid Prescription Risk Report
The results of the program can be found in our newly released
AmTrust Opioid Prescription Risk Report. Download the report to learn more about the effects of the opioid epidemic on workers’ compensation claims, and take a deeper look into the progress that the AmTrust and Optum partnership has achieved in reducing claims with opioids and replacing these with
safer, alternative treatments.
This material is for informational purposes only and is not legal or business advice. Neither AmTrust Financial Services, Inc. nor any of its subsidiaries or affiliates represents or warrants that the information contained herein is appropriate or suitable for any specific business or legal purpose. Readers seeking resolution of specific questions should consult their business and/or legal advisors. Coverages may vary by location. Contact your local RSM for more information.