Earlier this year, Gov. Tom Wolf issued a disaster declaration over the opioid crisis that is ravaging communities throughout Pennsylvania. His declaration followed the General Assembly’s action in passing 13 different bills to combat this crisis.
The Legislature has made fighting this epidemic a top priority. As we continue to look for ways to combat the opioid crisis, it has become clear that we must also address the remaining link of the rampant overprescribing that occurs within Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation system. According to a 2017 study by the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute, Pennsylvania ranks second among states in the number of opioids given to injured workers, an alarming 87 percent higher than the median state.
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