Pharmacy No Longer Fastest Growing Segment In Comp Spend: Study

Pharmacy costs in workers compensation have decreased by $1.1 billion during the past eight years as the result of fewer opioid prescriptions, among other reasons, according to a study released Wednesday by Maggie Valley, North Carolina-based CompPharma L.L.C. Researchers analyzed the 2017 pharmacy cost data of 29 workers compensation insurers, third-party administrators, self-insured employers and state funds and reported a 8.8% decline in total pharmacy costs from 2016, according to the study. When compared to payers nationwide, the decline outpaces the 2.1% decrease in pharmacy spend nationwide, according to the 15th annual study.