The Hartford's top 25 drugs in 2003 workers' compensation: ranked by total $ costs

Risk & Insurance, August, 2004

Prescription drugs are often blamed for big increases in health costs. In The Hartford's annual survey of drugs used to treat workers, the cost of the drug Tizanidine, a muscle relaxant, was found to have increased by 60 percent from 2002 to 2005. The average price increase of the top 25 drugs prescribed in workers' comp cases for The Hartford was 12 percent.

Oxycontin, a narcotic pain-relief medication, remained the most expensive drug prescribed in the workers' comp field, according to the survey.

                       RANK

                                    COST
DRUG NAME          2003   2002   INCREASE *

Oxycontin            1      1       15%
Neurontin            2      3       12%
Celebrex             3      2       12%
Hydroco/Apap         4      5       12%
Vioxx                5      4        6%
Duragesic            6      6       14%
Bextra               7     11       33%
Carisoprodol         8      7        8%
Ambien               9      9       14%
Skelaxin            10     13       29%
Lidoderm            11     22       12%
Tizanidine          12     37       60%
Cyclobenzapr        13     12       11%
Tramadol Hcl        14     35       30%
Actiq               15     32       55%
Ultracet            16     19       23%
Percocet            17     21       30%
Ranitidine          18     27       26%
Propo-N/Apap        19     14       -3%
Effexor Xr          20     17       13%
Naproxen            21     16       17%
Topamax             22     24       22%
Morphine Sul        23     29       -1%
Zoloft              24     18        6%
Wellbutrin          25     31        3%
Sub-Total Top 25                    12%

* Change in the average prescription cost in the
calendar year for claimants receiving the drug.