Opioid toxicity, misuse, and overdose remain major public health concerns. Rising opioid related morbidity and mortality show the need for evidence based prescribing, safer pain management strategies, and clear patient education.
Molina Healthcare supports providers who care for members with pain or opioid use disorder. The goal focuses on safer treatment and prevention of opioid related harm.
Understanding the opioid crisis
Opioid toxicity, misuse, and overdose remain significant public health concerns in the U.S.:
• In 2024, approximately 79,384 drug overdose deaths occurred. This reflects a 26.2% decrease from 2023. The rate equals 23.1 deaths per 100,000 people.
• In 2023, opioids contributed to about 79,358 overdose deaths. Opioids continue to play a role in roughly 73% of all overdose fatalities.
• Prescription opioids accounted for approximately 13,026 deaths in 2023. This figure declined from a peak of 17,029 deaths in 2017.
• In 2024, an average of about 220 people died each day from overdoses. This figure declined from more than 300 deaths per day at the height of the epidemic.
Research shows limited benefit from high dose opioid therapy for chronic pain. Risk increases as dose rises or when opioids are combined with other central nervous system depressants. These risks include overdose, respiratory depression, and dependence.
Sources:
Clinical guidelines and education
CDC opioid prescribing guidelines
The CDC offers evidence based tools to support provider and patient conversations about opioid therapy. These tools focus on risk, benefit, safety, and effectiveness in pain treatment.
Key CDC resources:
Naloxone education
Naloxone is a safe and effective intervention for preventing opioid related overdose deaths. The resources below support providers with guidance on prescribing, regulatory considerations, and patient education. The video and fact sheet reflect California specific perspectives. These tools support routine naloxone prescribing and harm reduction across care settings.
Opioid tapering guidance
Opioid tapering requires planning, patient engagement, and individualized clinical decisions. The resources below support safe and patient centered dose reduction. The focus includes withdrawal symptom reduction, function preservation, and trust. These materials offer practical frameworks and nationally recognized guidance for tapering discussions and care planning.
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
FDA approved medication based therapies treat opioid use disorder. Examples include buprenorphine and naltrexone. Coverage varies by benefit plan. Providers should confirm coverage before starting treatment.
MAT educational resources:
Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs)
PDMPs support tracking of controlled substance prescriptions. Use helps reduce duplication and lower risk of drug interactions or overdose.
PDMP resources:
Pain Safety Initiative (PSI)
Molina drug formularies and prescription policies focus on prevention of misuse of high risk chronic pain medications. Providers should offer opioid and pain safety education when appropriate.
Additional educational tools