Medicaid prior authorization and opioid medication abuse and overdose.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

The US opioid medication epidemic has resulted in serious health consequences for patients. Formulary management tools adopted by payers, specifically prior authorization (PA) policies, may lower the rates of opioid medication abuse and overdose. We compared rates of opioid abuse and overdose among enrollees in plans that varied in their use of PA from "High PA" (ie, required PA for 17 to 74 opioids), with "Low PA" (ie, required PA for 1 opioid), and "No PA" policies for opioid medications.

Study design

Retrospective cohort study of patients initiating opioid treatment in Pennsylvania Medicaid from 2010 to 2012.

Methods

Generalized linear models with generalized estimating equations were employed to assess the relationships between the presence of PA polici

SUBMITTER: Cochran G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6719534 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature