OIG: Part D opioid prescriptions dipped during onset of COVID-19 pandemic

As the COVID-19 pandemic began last March, opioid prescriptions under Medicare Part D dipped, according to a report from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) at HHS. Data from January–August 2020 showed that an estimated 1.1 million beneficiaries received a short-term opioid prescription, on par with the previous year. In April, however, the pace slowed by about one-third to 727,505 beneficiaries. “The decline is likely due to elective surgeries being postponed during the early months of the pandemic,” the OIG concluded. For longer-term opioid prescriptions, meanwhile, volume held steady at about 3.2 million to 3.4 million per month. The report additionally noted that the number of Part D beneficiaries receiving high-dose opioids during the first 8 months of last year declined 15% from 2019, extending an ongoing trend. Finally, the OIG found that more beneficiaries used medication-assisted treatment during the report’s 8-month time frame. About 126,000 underwent treatment in August, up from 121,000 in January.