Indianapolis-based Anthem and its affiliated health plans achieved a companywide target of reducing filled opioid prescriptions by 30 percent two years before a 2019 deadline.
Some of Anthem's policies leading to this decline include limiting coverage for initial short-acting opioid prescriptions to seven days for individual, employer-based and Medicaid members, as well as requiring preauthorization for long-acting narcotics. The seven-day policy excludes members with cancer, sickle cell anemia or those receiving palliative care.
The payer now aims to reduce filled opioid prescriptions by 35 percent by 2019.