Opioids continue to drop in comp, migraine meds on the rise: report
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Opioid prescriptions per workers compensation claim dropped by 9.7% in 2023, spearheading drops in prescribing of other common alternative medications used to manage pain, according to a drug trends report released Tuesday by Enlyte LLC.
Anticonvulsants, or neurological drugs intended to manage nerve pain, saw the second-largest drop in utilization at 7.4%. Antidepressants and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, both used to help manage pain, saw 6.1% and 3% decreases, respectively, according to the report.
Overall, Enlyte’s data showed dips in prescribing across the board with one exception: migraine medications, which jumped 17%.
On drug costs, eight of the top 10 therapeutic classes of drugs prescribed in workers comp showed increases in costs per script — with two classes rising by double digits. Respiratory drugs costs increased by 14.7% and migraine drugs by 10.2%.
