A new rule to the workers’ compensation laws in Michigan may affect your ability to be reimbursed for prescription drugs. The rule is designed to address the long-term use of pain relievers. While touted as a measure to prevent drug abuse, it is also intended to save employers money on workers’ compensation benefits paid out to their employees.
According to the new rule, patients receiving methadone, codeine or morphine for more than 90 days will no longer be reimbursed for the expense unless it is for cancer therapy or their doctor abides by strict reporting requirements. Though the rule does not seem extremely onerous on the surface, it won’t take long for an innocent employee to be harmed by the change.
Whether it be an employee who needs more time to recover than the arbitrary 90 days allows or one who’s doctor failed to bone up on the new rules, benefits could be unjustly pulled from an injured worker.
The workers’ compensation scheme is filled with all sorts of rules like this that may affect your ability to fully recover medical expenses and lost wages caused by a workplace incident. Local Saginaw area workers’ comp lawyers know these rules and how they are applied. More importantly, they know how to address the denial of benefits in a way that promotes the rights of the worker.
If you or a loved one has been injured at work and is interested in learning more about what you are entitled to under the workers’ compensation rules, you should contact a local lawyer. They will walk you through the benefits process and make sure rules like this are not unfairly applied to you at the expense of your family and financial well-being.
Source: Insurance Journal, “New Workers’ Comp Reimbursement Rules Take Effect in Michigan,” Corey Williams, December 30, 2014
