Opioid Cap Laws and Opioid Prescriptions After Total Joint Replacements in Older Adults.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Despite the opioid crisis and a growing call for minimizing opioid use, opioids remain an important part of postoperative pain management, with more than 80% of patients filling at least 1 opioid prescription following total joint replacements (TJRs). Little is known as to whether state laws that restrict or cap opioids for acute pain reduce post-TJR opioid use.

Objective

To evaluate the association of an opioid cap law in New York (Section 3331) with post-TJR opioid prescribing.

Design, setting, and participants

This cohort study analyzed Medicare data from 2014 to 2019 for New York and California (control state). Participants were Medicare beneficiaries who underwent elective TJRs before (April 2014 to June 2016) or after (August 2016 to September 2019) S

SUBMITTER: Thirukumaran CP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11983234 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature