Protect Injured Workers' Healthcare; Vote No on PA House Bill 1846

There is currently legislation in the Pennsylvania Senate that marks a new government assault on the doctor-patient relationship.

Already passed by the state House and a Senate committee, House Bill 1846 only allows the first physician treating a workers’ compensation patient after his or her injury to dispense no more than a 7 to 20 day supply of medications, depending on the type of medication prescribed.

This legislation will effectively stop physician dispensing of all prescriptions to their worker’s compensation patients, which would be devastating to their recovery.

The paperwork and litigation typically involved in workers compensation cases can cause pharmacies to delay filling a script to the detriment of a patient’s health. Physicians, however, are able to dispense these medications immediately so patients can start their treatment right away and therefore recover faster.

Filling and re-filling prescriptions through pharmacies is another issue -- a recent study by the National Community Pharmacists Association showed that between 20 and 30 percent of people surveyed did not fill or refill a prescription from a pharmacy on time. This is simply not an issue when physicians can dispense crucial medication.

We cannot allow the state government to determine patients’ medical needs. In addition, if this bill becomes law, what will the government try to regulate next?