Opioid utilization is down when compared to the heights seen during the opioid epidemic, but monitoring opioid prescribing trends, as well as data on abuse and dependence, is of key importance as opioids continue to have a place in the management of workers’ comp claims.
On September 19th, the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) hosted a webinar reviewing opioid prescribing patterns and the likelihood of continued opioid use among injured workers.
Data presented came from various data calls including the Unit Statistical Plan for Accident Years 2012-2021, Indemnity Data call for Accident Year 2022, and lost time claims only.
While opioid prescriptions have significantly declined, reflecting progress in reducing addiction risks and healthcare costs, NCCI noted that the rate of decline is leveling off. Additionally, although fewer workers are receiving high-dose opioids, persistence rates among those who do have increased.
From 2012 to 2022, opioid usage has decreased significantly, both one year after injury and three years after injury. The share of opioid-related claims dropped from 43% in 2012 to 16% in 2022, with variation by state. This decline is most notable in conditions like lower back and neck pain.
High opioid usage in the first-year post-injury has fallen by over 85%, with only 2% of claims involving high usage for injuries sustained in 2022. Additionally, morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) prescribed in the first-year post-injury have dropped by 88%.
Workers prescribed high opioid doses in the first year are more likely to continue high doses for three to six years after injury.
In related news, FAIR Health launched their Opioid Tracker, an interactive tool that monitors opioid abuse and dependence across the U.S., based on their database of 48 billion commercial healthcare claim records.
Designed to provide transparency into various aspects of opioid abuse and dependence – including utilization, costs, age and gender – the Tracker provides state-by-state data for 2023, showing the percent of patients diagnosed with opioid abuse or dependence, compared to all patients receiving medical services.
The tool includes infographics displaying:
- The top five procedure codes by utilization for opioid abuse and dependence
- The top five procedure codes by aggregate allowed amounts
- Changes in the percentage of patients with opioid abuse and dependence diagnoses from 2020 to 2023
- The distribution of patients with these diagnoses by age and gender.
