Fewer Opioids Prescribed to Injured Workers Following HB 1

Fewer injured workers in Kentucky who were taking pain medications received opioids — and received smaller amounts on average — after the implementation of Kentucky’s House Bill 1, according to a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute. HB 1, which took effect on July 1, 2012, regulates pain clinics, and establishes standards for dispensing and prescribing of opioids, including requiring prescribers to check the state prescription drug monitoring program before prescribing opioids. The study examined the impact of Kentucky’s HB 1 on opioid disp...