Over time, we’ve seen a significant decline in opioid prescriptions for injured workers, marking a positive shift toward reducing addiction rates and lowering healthcare costs. However, a closer examination of opioid utilization reveals a more complex picture, specifically for those on higher dosages.
In this webinar, Raji Chadarevian, NCCI Executive Director—Actuarial Research, delves into opioid prescribing patterns and how often injured workers are likely to continue being prescribed opioids. View the webcast, where we uncover important insights in the evolving landscape of pain management. Users can also download
opioid claims share by state (content requires authentication).
Key Insights and Takeaways:
Claim Shares
- The share of opioid claims has decreased sharply since 2012
- The share of claims with high opioid usage in the first year following an injury has decreased by more than 85%, reaching an all-time low of 2% for injuries that occurred in 2022
Opioid Levels
- Opioid utilization as measured by MMEs/day has decreased sharply over the last decade
- Recent data indicates that the drop in opioid utilization is starting to level off
Persistence Rates
- Opioid utilization at early stages of an injured worker’s recovery increases the likelihood of continuing to utilize opioids
- As the number of injured workers with high-dose opioids has diminished, the persistence rate for those injured workers at the high level has increased
Connect with the author if you have questions or to gain additional insights.
