Vermont Business Magazine Vermont has one of the highest opioid use disorder rates in the nation, but also has seen one of the steepest declines in opioid-based prescriptions as a means of combating it. A new study from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association found that the number of prescriptions for opioid-based medications among its commercially insured members inMassachusettsplummeted 51 percent between 2013 and 2017 -- the biggest drop in the nation. Vermont also was among the highest at 41 percent.The results come in the wake of a groundbreaking prescription safety program launched by Blue Cross Blue Shield ofMassachusettsin 2012, before the opioid epidemic was widely recognized as a crisis.
Nationally, there was a 29 percent decline in opioid-based medication prescriptions among Blue Cross Blue Shield commercially insured members.Massachusettswas the state with the fewest prescriptions for these pain medications. There were 193 opioid-based prescriptions written for every 1,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield members inMassachusettsin 2017. The national average was more than double that, at 394. Vermont was at 257. The data was released today by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Associationin its latestHealth of America Reportand may be an indication that actions on the local, state and national level are having an impact on the misuse of opioid-based drugs.
Specific Findings
• Nationally, the total number of opioid medications filled by commercially insured BCBS members has declined by 29 percent since 2013, with significant variation among states. Thirty-four states had higher reductions, with Massachusetts leading at 51 percent.
• In 2017, 67 percent of BCBS members filled their first opioid prescription within the CDC-recommended guidelines for both dose and duration. Some states did significantly better than the average, led by Rhode Island at 80 percent, Mississippi at 74 percent and Vermont and Massachusetts at 73 percent.
• When examining total opioid prescriptions for BCBS members in 2017, not just the first prescription, 45 percent of members filled prescriptions within the CDC-recommended dose and duration guidelines, up from 39 percent in 2013.
• In 2016, opioid use disorder claims stabilized, with 6.2 in 1,000 BCBS members diagnosed. The rate dipped slightly to 5.9 in 1,000 members in 2017.
Massachusettsand the five other New England states showed rates of diagnosis of opioid use disorder (OUD) higher than the national average of 5.9 per 1,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield members. InMassachusetts, the rate of diagnosis was 7.0; Vermont was 7.9 percent; and New Hampshirehad the highest rate of diagnosis at 12.3.
"People are still dying," saidKen Duckworth, MD, medical director, behavioral health. "The introduction of fentanyl, which is 100 times more powerful than morphine, social stigma, and access to treatment are among the challenges we must continue to address."
Nationally, New Hampshire (12.3 percent) has the highest rate of opioid use disorder among BCBS members and Vermont is ranked 23rd (7.9 percent), with the national average at 5.9 percent. South Dakota and Nebraska are the lowest at 2.2 percent.
|
State |
2017 Diagnosis of Opioid Use Disorder/1,000 members |
|
New Hampshire |
12.3 |
|
Connecticut |
9.0 |
|
Rhode Island |
9.0 |
|
Vermont |
7.9 |
|
Massachusetts |
7.0 |
|
Maine |
6.5 |
|
National Average |
5.9 |
About the Health of America Report
This is the 22nd study of the Blue Cross Blue Shield, The Health of America Report series, a collaboration between Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and Blue Health Intelligence, which uses a market-leading claims database to uncover key trends and insights into healthcare affordability and access to care.
The report examines the medical and pharmacy claims of more than 41 million Blue Cross Blue Shield commercially insured members per year from 2013 to 2017. Members with a diagnosis of cancer or who are receiving services for palliative or hospice care were excluded. All other eligible members under age 65 were included in this analysis.
Prescription data was used to estimate raw opioid prescription counts and opioid prescription dose and duration. Prescription counts were treated equally regardless of the dosage or length of time of the prescription. Member-level dose and duration were calculated based on taking the average MME dosage and total prescription days for all prescriptions a member received within a calendar year.
Medical claims were used to measure the number of BCBS members with an ICD code-based diagnosis of opioid use disorder. Rates were computed on a per 1,000 member basis or percentage basis, where noted.
For more information and to read past reports from The Health of America Report series, visithttps://www.bcbs.com/the-health-of-america/reports.
Source: BOSTON,July 12, 2018/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Blue Cross