It’s no secret that workplace accidents can involve a great deal of pain, which often requires pain medications among others. Then, when someone is suffering from an occupational disease, including certain cancers, they will need expensive drugs to combat the side effects of chemo therapy and radiation. Or, they’ll need several drugs to help them cope with their debilitating disease.
But the truth of the matter is that some prescription medications cost a fortune and even people who make a decent wage can’t afford to spend hundreds of dollars every month on prescription medications meant to treat them for their workplace accident or occupational disease. That said, does workers’ compensation cover part or all of the costs of medication?
ARE MY PRESCRIPTIONS COVERED?
Here’s what you need to know about filling your prescriptions while receiving workers’ compensation benefits in New York:
- You will be able to get your prescription medications for your work-related injury under New York’s workers’ compensation laws. However, self-insured employers or insurance carriers can designate which pharmacies you have to use to have your prescriptions filled.
- The network that your insurance carrier chooses must include pharmacies that are relatively close to your home, or they must include pharmacies that have a mail order service that you can use.
- If the insurance carrier argues or denies your claim and a network pharmacy refuses to fill your prescriptions, you can use a pharmacy that is outside the insurer’s designated network. Ask us more about this.
- The insurance carrier cannot tell you what drugs to take, nor can it stop you from getting the drugs you are currently on. That is strictly up to your doctor.
Looking for a Long Island workers’ compensation lawyer to help you file a claim in New York? Contact Katz, Leidman, Freund & Herman for a free case evaluation. We can be reached at (888) 250-5427.
