The Illinois’ Department of Insurance (the Department) recently enacted changes to the “Workers’ Compensation Electronic and Standardized Paper Billing” regulations in order to implement Public Act 100-1117, which amended Sections 8.2 and 8.2(a) of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act (the Act).

Pregabalin, the generic for Lyrica, became available in July of 2019.

Our office recently received several questions regarding the proposed Explanation of Benefits (“EOB”), as well as the current Department of Insurance Rules concerning electronic billing in Workers’ Compensation claims.

A Medicare Set-Aside (MSA) is a settlement tool used by parties to prevent a cost shift of future injury-related Medicare covered expenses to Medicare when the settlement terms close out liability for future medical.

On May 20, 2019, the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Medical Fee Advisory Board announced a Proposed Amendment to the Workers’ Compensation Commission’s Administrative Rules.

Prescriptions for compounded medications should be red-flagged and quickly assessed for more appropriate and cost-effective alternatives. Don’t wait until trial or settlement to address unnecessary use of these medications.

In March of 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported there were 63,632 drug overdose deaths in 2016; 42,249 (66.4%) involved an opioid.

In the arena of workers’ compensation, attorneys heavily scrutinize the credentials of physicians, combing through every certification, publication or piece of education that is susceptible to attack.

It’s no secret there is an opioid crisis in this country. Millions of Americans – including injured workers - are prescribed opiate pain medications. Seen as an effective substitute for such drugs, many individual states have legalized the use of medical marijuana.

In the fall of 2018, the Department of Health & Human Services/CMS published an abstract of a proposed rule entitled “Miscellaneous Medicare Secondary Payer Clarifications and Updates.”