Opioid Prescriptions for Medicare Beneficiaries Often Come from Multiple Providers

Opioid use among elders is associated with elevated risks for falls, hospitalization, and death. In this retrospective cohort study, investigators used prescription drug claims data from a random sample of Medicare beneficiaries with Part D coverage to determine the incidence of opioid prescribing by multiple providers and the association with opioid-related hospital admissions.

Of nearly 2 million patients who filled at least one opioid prescription in 2010, 23% filled prescriptions from two providers, 10% from three providers, and 8% from four or more providers. Mean number of opioid prescriptions per beneficiary increased with number of providers (from 7 for patients with ≥2 providers to 15 for those with ≥4 providers). Many beneficiaries…