As federal and state officials sound the alarm about opioid abuse, Illinois lawmakers should take steps to root it out of the workers’ compensation system.
Illinois has sued a pharmaceutical company over opioid marketing, yet state lawmakers refuse to reform a workers’ compensation system that encourages the overprescription of dangerous drugs.
Illinois is home to the highest workers’ compensation costs in the region, and the weakest manufacturing recovery. New research details pain points and ways to fix the system while protecting worker safety.
After years of splurging with revenue boosted by temporary federal aid, future deficits over $5 billion await the Illinois state budget. It’s time Illinois state leaders learn from past mistakes and manage other people’s money responsibly.