The bureau - wracked with about $300 million in investment losses and at the center of a widening political scandal - has decided to cut drug benefits to save an estimated $4 million or more a year.
Starting yesterday, injured workers no longer had automatic access to a number of drugs deemed to have cheaper alternatives - including OxyContin and Celebrex, among others.
This isn't about switching to generic brands - some of the drugs do not have that cheaper equivalent, and such a program is already in effect.
The new "preferred drug" program is focused on pushing injured workers to try cheaper alternatives, meaning different medications.
Under the new program, a doctor must justify the need for the more expensive medication by filling out a form and gaining approval from a bureau pharmacist.
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