Journal of managed care & specialty pharmacy
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J Manag Care Spec Pharm · Oct 2015
ReviewThe Economic Impact of Opioid Use in the Management of Chronic Nonmalignant Pain.
Chronic nonmalignant pain (CNMP), defined as persistent pain that is not attributable to a potentially life-limiting condition and has a duration of at least 3 months, is widespread in the United States. Moderate-to-severe CNMP often is treated with opioid analgesics, and there is ongoing debate regarding appropriate allocation of opioids to treat CNMP because long-term treatment can result in problematic side effects, drug misuse, or abuse leading to detrimental medical, social, and economic consequences. ⋯ To accomplish this, managed care policies could implement guidelines that focus on evaluating risk characteristics for opioid misuse and abuse, use opioid dose-sparing strategies, and encourage the use of alternative analgesics or nonpharmacologic therapy when appropriate. The purpose of this review is to examine challenges and costs associated with CNMP management using opioids and to summarize alternative therapeutic approaches.
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J Manag Care Spec Pharm · Oct 2015
Effectiveness of a Retrospective Drug Utilization Review on Potentially Unsafe Opioid and Central Nervous System Combination Therapy.
Drug overdose deaths are the leading cause of unintentional death in the United States, and opioid-related mortality is the primary contributor (75.2%). Among opioid-related mortalities, opioids are most commonly taken with benzodiazepines (30.1%) and antidepressants (13.4%). The utility of a retrospective drug utilization review (DUR) program initiated by a commercial health plan for members taking potentially unsafe opioid and central nervous system (CNS) combination therapy is currently unknown. ⋯ A 28.1% reduction in potentially unsafe opioid and CNS combination therapy was observed after implementing a retrospective DUR program targeting high-risk opioid use. Among members remaining high risk after the DUR, the change in total unique opioids and total daily MED was nonsignificant. Members remaining at high risk after the DUR can be targeted for further interventions such as care management and member education regarding fraud, waste, and abuse. A majority of prescribers (90.5%) self-report using their states' prescription monitoring programs when prescribing controlled substances.
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J Manag Care Spec Pharm · Oct 2015
Characteristics of High-Cost Patients Diagnosed with Opioid Abuse.
Prescription opioid abuse is associated with substantial economic burden, with estimates of incremental annual per-patient health care costs of diagnosed opioid abuse exceeding $10,000 in prior literature. A subset of patients diagnosed with opioid abuse has disproportionately high health care costs, but little is known about the characteristics of these patients. ⋯ This study found that the costliest patients diagnosed with opioid abuse had high rates of preexisting and concurrent chronic comorbidities and mental health conditions, suggesting potential indicators for targeted intervention and a need for greater awareness and screening of comorbid conditions. Opioid abuse may exacerbate existing conditions and make it difficult for patients to adhere to treatment plans for those underlying conditions. Baseline patient characteristics explained only a small share of the variation in observation period health care costs, however. Future research should explore the degree to which other factors not captured in administrative claims data (e.g., severity of abuse) can explain the wide variation in health care costs among opioid abusers.
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J Manag Care Spec Pharm · Sep 2015
Impact of a Step Therapy for Guanfacine Extended-Release on Medication Utilization and Health Care Expenditures Among Individuals Receiving Treatment for ADHD.
While step therapy (ST) policies are generally effective at reducing cost through the managed utilization of targeted medications, the clinical implications of ST policies are not clear and may vary across therapeutic areas. Guanfacine extended-release (GXR) is approved by the FDA for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as both monotherapy and adjunctive to stimulant treatment. At the introduction of GXR to the market, Humana implemented an ST policy on GXR requiring the documentation of previous treatment, intolerance, or contraindication to generic clonidine or guanfacine. ⋯ The current study found that GXR coverage denial was associated with lower rate of ADHD medication utilization, greater delay in receiving ADHD medication, and lower PDC with ADHD medication. There were no differences observed between the approved and denied group in terms of all-cause total health care or MH-related total health care costs after controlling for potentially confounding variables. Prior to implementation in the ADHD therapeutic area and others, payers should consider the potentially unintended consequences of ST policies, including delay in treatment and undertreatment.
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J Manag Care Spec Pharm · Sep 2015
Comparative StudyAntipsychotic Adherence and Rehospitalization in Schizophrenia Patients Receiving Oral Versus Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics Following Hospital Discharge.
Antipsychotic medications are a central component of effective treatment for schizophrenia, but nonadherence is a significant problem for the majority of patients. Long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotic medications are a recommended treatment option for nonadherent patients, but evidence regarding their potential advantages has been mixed. Observational data on newer, second-generation LAI antipsychotic medications have been limited given their more recent regulatory approval and availability. ⋯ This claims-based analysis of posthospitalization adherence and rehospitalization outcomes in Medicaid patients with schizophrenia adds to the growing real-world evidence base of the benefits of LAI antipsychotic medications in routine clinical practice, particularly with regard to second-generation LAIs. As new SGA formulations become available for long-acting use, real-world studies with larger sample sizes will be needed to further delineate their potential advantages in terms of clinical outcomes and costs.