BCBS report: Opioid prescriptions, diagnoses on the decline

Opioid abuse diagnoses declined 5 percent in 2017, according to a report Blue Cross Blue Shield Association released July 12.

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For the report the BCBS, collaborating with Blue Health Intelligence, examined rates of opioid prescription, patterns and diagnosed disorders among BCBS holders.

Here are three things to know:

1. Opioid use disorder claims, which had been climbing since 2013, stabilized between 2016 -17, staying around six claims for every 1,000 members. 

2. BCBS members filling opioid prescriptions dropped from 5 in 20 members in 2013 to 3 in 20 members in 2017, amounting to a 29 percent drop in opioid prescriptions

3. Forty-five percent of opioid prescriptions issued in 2017 met CDC dosage guidelines, which is an upswing from only 39 percent in 2013.

More articles on opioids: 

These 3 opioids were most commonly used by surgery patients preoperatively
3 drug distributors shipped 1.6B doses of opioids to Missouri in 5 years
CVS adds opioid disposal containers to 750 store fronts: 3 things to know

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