AmTrust’s Opioid Reduction Program Improves Outcomes for Injured Workers – InsuranceNewsNet

Opioid prescriptions and pharmacy spending have dropped dramatically,

Alternative treatments to long-term opioid use offered by registered nurses

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
AmTrust Financial Services, Inc. (AmTrust), a leading provider of insurance for small businesses, today announced that its program to reduce the amount of opioids prescribed to injured workers is proving highly effective in reduce both the number of claims with opioid prescriptions, as well as pharmacy spending for opioids.

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AmTrust analyzed its workers’ compensation claims paid by the company for the five-year period between 2017 and 2021. In 2017, 60% of claims had prescriptions containing an opioid. In 2018, that figure fell to 25%, and for the last full-year period of 2021, only 15.2% of claims were for an opioid. This represents a 75% reduction in prescriptions containing an opioid over four years.

Melissa BurkePharmD, VP Claims Integrated Solutions, which leads AmTrust’s program, said, “Chronic opioid use can have many side effects, including the risk of overdose, and injured employees to whom long-term opioids prescribed take longer to return to work. At AmTrust, we’re doing our part to change that narrative.”

Data shows AmTrust’s Nurse Prior Authorization Program significantly reduces opioid claims, pharmacy spend, and more than 50 MED (morphine equivalent dose).

In 2018, AmTrust formed a partnership with pharmacy care management company, Optum workers Comp and Auto No-Fault (Optum), to reduce the amount of opioids prescribed to injured workers and the duration of opioid use. AmTrust adjusters work directly with Optum registered nurses to review prescriptions and ensure proper medication management.

“Having a medical professional review a claim is not typical in the workers’ compensation insurance industry,” said Dr. Burke. “We appreciate the impact that medications can have on the outcome of a claim, and that’s why as soon as a prescription is requested, we present it to a pharmacy nurse. We believe that our program of Preclearance by nurses has helped reduce AmTrust claims with opioids and long-term opioid addiction, leading to much better outcomes for injured workers, their families and employers.

Instead of opioids, AmTrust recommends safer alternative treatments. These include non-opioid medications (eg, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and NSAIDs), physical therapy and exercise, massage therapy, yoga, interventional treatments (eg, nerve blocks, epidurals and joint injections) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

A full copy of the “AmTrust Opioid Prescribing Risk Report 2022 and 2019” can be accessed at www.amtrustfinancial.com/opioids.

About AmTrust Financial Services, Inc.

AmTrust Financial Services, Inc., a multinational insurance holding company headquartered in New York, offers specialty property and casualty insurance products, including workers’ compensation, business owner’s policy (BOP), general liability, and extended warranty and service coverage. For more information about AmTrust, visit www.amtrustfinancial.com

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AmTrust Financial Services, Inc.Hunter Hoffman
Marketing Director

[email protected]

646.870.1949

Source: AmTrust Financial Services, Inc.