Wis. Stat. § 102.425 — WI Code / Chapter 102 / Section 102.425
Section 102.425
Status: in_force

(i) “Prescription order” has the meaning given in s. 450.01 (21) .

(2) Substitution of drug product equivalents.

(a) Except as provided in pars. (b) and (c) , when a drug is prescribed to treat an injury for which an employer or insurer is liable under this chapter, the pharmacist or practitioner dispensing the drug shall substitute a drug product equivalent in place of the prescribed drug if all of the following apply:

1. In the professional judgment of the dispensing pharmacist or practitioner, the drug product equivalent is therapeutically equivalent to the prescribed drug.

2. The charge for the drug product equivalent is less than the charge for the prescribed drug.

(b) A pharmacist or practitioner may not substitute a drug product equivalent under par. (a) in place of a prescribed drug if any of the following apply:

1. The prescribed drug is a single-source patented drug for which there is no drug product equivalent.

2. The prescriber determines that the prescribed drug is medically necessary and indicates that no substitution may be made for that prescribed drug by writing on the face of the prescription order or, in the case of a prescription order that is transmitted electronically, by designating in electronic format the phrase “No substitutions” or “Dispense as written” or words of similar meaning or the initials “N.S.” or “D.A.W.”

(c) Unless par. (b) applies, if an injured employee requests that a specific brand name drug be used to treat the employee’s injury, the pharmacist or practitioner dispensing the prescription shall dispense the specific brand name drug as requested. If a specific brand name drug is dispensed under this paragraph, the employer or insurer and the employee shall share the cost of the prescription as follows:

1. The employer or insurer shall be liable in an amount equal to the average wholesale price, as determined under sub. (3) (a) 1. , of the lowest-priced drug product equivalent that the pharmacist or practitioner has in stock on the day on which the brand name drug is dispensed, plus the dispensing fee under sub. (3) (a) 2. and any applicable taxes under sub. (3) (a) 3. that would be payable for that drug product equivalent.

2. The employee shall be liable in an amount equal to the difference between the amount for which the employer or insurer is liable under subd. 1. and an amount equal to the average wholesale price, as determined under sub. (3) (a) 1. , of the brand name drug on the day on which the brand name drug is dispensed, plus any applicable taxes under sub. (3) (a) 3. that are payable for that brand name drug.

(3) Liability of employer or insurer.

(a) The liability of an employer or insurer for the cost of a prescription drug dispensed under sub. (2) for outpatient use by an injured employee, including a prescription drug dispensed outside of a licensed pharmacy, is limited to the sum of all of the following:

1. The average wholesale price of the prescription drug as of the date on which the prescription drug is dispensed, as quoted in the Drug Topics Red Book, published by Medical Economics Company, Inc., or its successor, or, if that book is discontinued and becomes unavailable, as quoted in another nationally recognized pricing source determined by the department.

2. A dispensing fee of $3 per prescription order, which shall be payable for all prescription drugs dispensed under sub. (2) regardless of the location from which the prescription drug is dispensed, but which shall be payable only to a pharmacist who dispenses the prescription drug.

3. Any state or federal taxes that may be applicable to the prescription drug dispensed.

(b) In addition to the liability under par. (a) , an employer or insurer is also liable for reimbursement to an injured employee for all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the injured employee in obtaining the prescription drug dispensed.

(c) A billing statement submitted to an employer or insurer for a prescription drug dispensed under sub. (2) shall include the national drug code number of the prescription as listed in the national drug code directory maintained by the federal food and drug administration and shall state separately the price of the prescription drug and the dispensing fee.

(4) Liability of employee.

(a) Except as provided in par. (b) , a pharmacist or practitioner who dispenses a prescription drug under sub. (2) to an injured employee may not collect, or bring an action to collect, from the injured employee any charge that is in excess of the liability of the injured employee under sub. (2) (c) 2. or the liability of the employer or insurer under sub. (3) (a) .

(b) If an employer or insurer denies or disputes liability for the cost of a drug prescribed to an injured employee under sub. (2) , the pharmacist or practitioner who dispensed the drug may collect, or bring an action to collect, from the injured employee the cost of the prescription drug dispensed, subject to the limitations specified in sub. (3) (a) . If an employer or insurer concedes liability for the cost of a drug prescribed to an injured employee under sub. (2) , but disputes the reasonableness of the amount charged for the prescription drug, the employer or insurer shall provide notice under sub. (4m) (b) to the pharmacist or practitioner that the reasonableness of the amount charged is in dispute and the pharmacist or practitioner who dispensed the drug may not collect, or bring an action to collect, from the injured employee the cost of the prescription drug dispensed after receiving that notice.

(4m) Resolution of prescription drug charge disputes.

(a) The department has jurisdiction under this subsection and ss. 102.16 (1m) (c) and 102.17 to resolve a dispute between a pharmacist or practitioner and an employer or insurer over the reasonableness of the amount charged for a prescription drug dispensed under sub. (2) for outpatient use by an injured employee who claims benefits under this chapter.

(b) An employer or insurer that disputes the reasonableness of the amount charged for a prescription drug dispensed under sub. (2) for outpatient use by an injured employee or the department under sub. (4) (b) or s. 102.16 (1m) (c) or 102.18 (1) (bg) 3. shall provide, within 30 days after receiving a completed bill for the prescription drug, reasonable written notice to the pharmacist or practitioner that the charge is being disputed. After receiving reasonable written notice under this paragraph or under sub. (4) (b) or s. 102.16 (1m) (c) or 102.18 (1) (bg) 3. that a prescription drug charge is being disputed, a pharmacist or practitioner may not collect the disputed charge from, or bring an action for collection of the disputed charge against, the employee who received the prescription drug.

(c) A pharmacist or practitioner that receives notice under par. (b) that the reasonableness of the amount charged for a prescription drug dispensed under sub. (2) for outpatient use by an injured employee is in dispute shall file the dispute with the department within 6 months after receiving that notice.

(d) The department shall deny payment of a prescription drug charge that the department determines under this subsection to be unreasonable. A pharmacist or practitioner and an employer or insurer that are parties to a dispute under this subsection over the reasonableness of a prescription drug charge are bound by the department’s determination under this subsection on the reasonableness of the disputed charge, unless that determination is set aside on judicial review as provided in par. (e) .

(e) Within 30 days after a determination under this subsection, the department may set aside, reverse, or modify the determination for any reason that the department considers sufficient. Within 60 days after a determination under this subsection, the department may set aside, reverse, or modify the determination on grounds of mistake. A pharmacist, practitioner, employer, or insurer that is aggrieved by a determination of the department under this subsection may seek judicial review of that determination in the same manner that compensation claims are reviewed under s. 102.23 .

(5) Nonprescription drug products. The liability of an employer or insurer for the cost of a nonprescription drug product used to treat an injured employee is limited to the usual and customary charge to the general public for the nonprescription drug product.

History: 2005 a. 172 ; 2007 a. 185 ; 2009 a. 206 ; 2015 a. 55 , 180 ; 2017 a. 149 ; 2025 a. 33 .