From 67% to 97%: That’s a big improvement

A point-of-sale edit helped decrease large opioid supplies for new users, with a 30 percent increase in prescriptions of less than seven days supply

Evidence shows that a three-day opioid prescription is enough most of the time. The Centers for Disease Control (2016) provided these guidelines, and many states have passed laws that support them. These guidelines have worked their way into doctors’ prescribing habits, but for many, it’s a slow process. This study demonstrates how benefit design can have an immediate impact on prescribing behavior. This Blue Plan implemented a point-of-sale edit to limit new opioid prescriptions to less than seven days supply. This plan’s compliance rate jumped from 67 percent to 97 percent.