宾夕法尼亚州州长汤姆·沃尔夫(D)上周否决了一项bill that would have required changes in how opioids are prescribed for construction workers and others in the state workers' compensation system, along with additional alterations to existing law. He said the so-called "formulary proposal" introduced by Republican lawmakers would have saved money for businesses and insurers but would not have helped fight abuse of the painkillers.

Pennsylvania is one of the states hardest hit by the opioid addiction crisis,根据疾病控制中心的最新数据.

有几个州正在考虑或颁布制定药物配方, which detail the type and quantity of medication that may be prescribed and monitor prescriptions. A 2017 report by pharmacy benefit manager myMatrixx says 2016 was a turning point for legislation and regulations to control opioid pain prescriptions.

宾夕法尼亚州未能实施工人的赔偿变更，这是路易斯安那州的类似结果。加利福尼亚州于2015年通过其工人薪酬制度通过了一项配方，该制度于1月1日生效，纽约一直在考虑一个。

Construction workers are among the most affected employees across all industries because of injuries they sustain and work-related chronic health problems.

Formulary programs effectively limit opioid prescriptions, require doctors and pharmacies to report what is being prescribed and dispensed, and prevent an injured party from obtaining opioid prescriptions from multiple doctors. They also help state pharmacy boards review which doctors are prescribing unusually high amounts of opioids so these practitioners can be counseled on proper opioid prescription methods.

The formulary proposed in SB 936 "will not improve overall health outcomes for Pennsylvania's injured workers and will not stem the tide of the opioid crisis that is ravaging every area of our society,"Wolf wrote in a letter to state senators. "Many opioid medications are among the least costly prescription medications available on the market. Since the bill's drug formulary is designed to steer physicians toward prescribing less costly drugs, it will not likely accomplish the often-stated objective of the bill's promoters."

Separately, Wolf said the bill "threatens health care for millions of workers who could be injured on the job, including police, corrections officers and firefighters ... whose injuries can be unique, debilitating and severe. It is wrong to sacrifice health care for our first responders to protect the bottom line for insurance companies and corporations."

The Governor's Opioid Action Plan

在宣布否决权时，沃尔夫提供了一项行动计划，以打击阿片类药物的流行，以及他的政府学习如何治疗和防止对药物成瘾的指南。该计划包括在工人赔偿中为阿片类药物创建处方准则，培训工人的赔偿法官和提供者，鼓励通过规范处方准则的立法措施，对阿片类药物处方的7天限制，并审查过多的规定。沃尔夫还呼吁通过限制局部阿片类化合物处方来遏制“过于昂贵”的阿片类药物治疗。

Supporters of the vetoed measure had cited an article in the Philadelphia Daily News that described how a Philadelphia law firm specializing in workers' compensation has been able to refer clients approved for that cost coverage to doctors who had drug-buying agreements with a pharmacy the law firm owned.