The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, the umbrella company of 36 BCBS plans nationwide, adopted a directive stating opioids should not be used as the first or second option to treat pain.
The standard aligns with CDC guidelines and garnered unanimous support among BCBS' National Council of Physician and Pharmacist Executives at its March meeting.
"Due to the lack of evidence combined with significant potential for harm, we believe professional standards require that BCBS members are given alternative options to opioids in most clinical situations," said Trent Haywood, MD, CMO for BCBSA. "We will work with medical professionals to ensure BCBS members are routinely provided alternatives to opioids through a mutual decision made inside the doctor's office."
BCBS' new standard comes after the insurer found 21 percent of its commercially insured members filled at least one opioid prescription in 2015. The report also found members suffering from opioid use disorder soared 493 percent during the seven-year study period.
BCBS will encourage physicians treating its 106 million members to first prescribe nonopioid prescription painkillers and over-the-counter pain medications before turning to opioids.