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The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) has approved a new rule that will help injured workers obtain medication following their injury. If approved by the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review, the new first fill rule will come into effect in February of next year.
The idea behind the rule is that it allows workers who suffer an injury to receive benefits even before their workplace injury claims have been processed and approved. It covers the cost of the victim’s first prescription filling for medication to treat their injury. In the event that the victim’s injury claim is denied, the payment is still covered by the BWC.
The rule will ensure that all victims have equal access to treatment, even those who lack insurance. In some cases, the ability to start treatment right away, as opposed to waiting for the courts to rule in their favor, will be the difference between life and death.
The rule comes with the following stipulations:
Approval for reimbursement of medications under the first fill program will be for a period of 10 days or less, at the most commonly prescribed dosing schedule and no refills will be approved.
Approval for reimbursement of medications under the first fill program will be limited to one drug per therapeutic drug class listed in the appendix to the rule.
Extemporaneous compounded prescriptions are not eligible for reimbursement by the bureau under the first fill program.
A Workplace Injury Has Lowered My Quality of Life. How Can I Get the Compensation I Deserve?
Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC has locations all over the state of Ohio, and we have made a name for ourselves over the last 80 years as a premier workers’ compensation law firm. If you have suffered due to negligence on the part of your employer, then you could be entitled to workers’ compensation. Learn more by checking out our Facebook page.
Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC—Columbus Workers Comp Attorneys
Source: http://www.workerscompensation.com/compnewsnetwork/workers-comp-blogwire/20264-ohio-bwc-board-backs-new-rule.html