On/or about September 13, 2019, Antonio Rios, Director of DFEC/OWCP has released a new change in the DFEC’s opioid prescription policy which will take effect in the coming weeks. Director Rios states “Injured workers that are newly prescribed opioid users (those who have not been prescribed an opioid for their work injury in the past 180 days, if ever) will be limited to an initial 7-day supply for opioids. An injured worker may receive a maximum of four sequential 7-day supply prescriptions (an initial and three subsequent prescriptions), for a total of 28 days, without prior authorization. During this time, each sequential prescription may be for a different opioid but no more than one opioid may be prescribed at any given time without prior approval from DFEC.”

He further stated “For any additional opioid prescriptions exceeding the initial 28-day period, prior authorization will be required. The prescribing physician will need to complete a Certification/Letter of Medical Necessity, Form CA-27 (LMN), to obtain prior approval from DFEC. The prescriber may complete the form no sooner than 9 days prior to the end of the 28-day period. All subsequent opioid prescriptions will be subject to the LMN requirement, which will authorize up to 60 days of additional opioid use, with fills to be issued in no more than 30-day supplies. The LMN asks the provider a series of questions to gather as much pertinent information as possible about the patient before an opioid is authorized. It is a way of working closely with the injured worker's physician to guard against the misuse or overuse of opioids. “