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| (Left to right) Jag Desai, MD, Nancy J. Johnson, Esq., Jon L. Gelman, Esq, Christopher P. Gargano, Esq., Mark B. Zirulnik, Esq., Hon Joanne Downey, Member of the NJ General Assembly Photo Credit: Margaret Sherlock |
It became obvious during the roundtable program that opioid abuse over the last two or three decades has become an epidemic in nature and the impact to injured workers, employers, and the workers' compensation system has increased enormously.
While the Workers' Compensation Act was not embraced expressly in the text of the legislation, Assemblywoman Downey spoke of her continuing concern and commitment to review the issue further. Ms. Downey told the audience that she would continue to address substance abuse in the workplace going forward and more specifically treatment issues and integration into the NJ workers' compensation system.
Reference Material
The Ethics of Pain Management
The Workers’ Compensation Bench/Bar Conference
May 19, 2017
Round Table Discussion Bibliography
Statutes
P.L.2017, c.28 (Passed) 2017-02-15 S3 Requires health insurance coverage for treatment of substance use disorders; places certain restrictions on the prescription of opioid and certain other drugs; concerns continuing education related thereto.
New Jersey State Sources
Summary: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/BillView.asp?BillNumber=S3
Text: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2016/Bills/S0500/3_I1.HTM
Text:http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2016/Bills/S0500/3_R1.HTM
Text:http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2016/Bills/S0500/3_R1.HTM
Text: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2016/Bills/AL17/28_.HTM
Roll Call: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/BillView.asp
Articles
Rousmaniere, Peter, “We’re beating back Opioids-Now What?, WorkCompCentral (2015) https://www.workcompcentral.com/special-report/special-report/id/2
Paduda, Joseph, “Prescription Drug Management in Workers Compensation,” Workers Compensation Issue 2016 Issues Report, CompPharma (2016)
Opioid Addiction, 2016 Facts and Figures, American Society of Addiction Medicine
The Opioid Epidemic” By the Numbers, US CDC, June 2016
Lembke, Anna MD, “Why Doctors Prescribe Opioids to Known Opioid Abusers,” N Engl J Med 2012; 367:1580-1581, October 15, 2012 | DOI 10.1056/NEJMp1208498
Alghnam S, Castillo R, “Traumatic injuries and persistent opioid use in the USA: findings from a nationally representative survey,” Injury Prevention 2017;23:87-92.
Stahl, Arthur, IAIABC Policy Guide on Reducing Opioid Abuse Offers Blueprint for Effective Reform, (September 8, 2013) https://www.lexisnexis.com/legalnewsroom/idoctor-health/b/recent-cases-news-trends-developments/archive/2013/09/08/iaiabc-policy-guide-on-reducing-opioid-abuse-offers-blueprint-for-effective-reform.aspx?Redirected=true
Blogs
Domer, Thomas, “Opioid Abuse in Workers’ Compensation,” Wisconsin Workers Compensation Experts Blog, June 17, 2016
Geaney, John, “What impact will New Jersey’s opioid prescription bill have on workers’ comp?,” NJ Workers’ Compensation Blog, March 9, 2017
Gelman, Jon L., “Doctors, Patients and Opioid Abuse,” Workers’ Compensation Blog, October 24, 2012
Treatise
Gelman, Jon L., “Medical—Medical and surgical treatment,” 38 N.J. Prac., Workers’ Compensation Law § 12.5 (3 ed.), 2017, Thomson Reuters www.westlaw.com