From Carefirst, December 15, 2017
CareFirst’s Response to the Addiction Crisis
Addiction is a national health epidemic affecting millions every day.
In 2016, approximately 204,000 CareFirst members received at least one opioid prescription. In the same time frame, nearly 18,000 CareFirst members had a diagnosis for substance use disorder. However, because diagnoses are based on insurance claims, these figures may only represent a fraction of the total impact of opioid use or those living with a substance use disorder.
CareFirst is committed to meeting our members’ needs through identification, prevention and treatment. Our comprehensive approach to combat the opioid crisis includes:
• Restricting unnecessary or excessive opioid prescription use through formulary design
• Monitoring members and prescribers for drug safety, potential fraud, waste and abuse
• Connecting members with high-touch care coordination and essential treatment
• Reducing financial barriers through a cost-share waiver
On December 13, CareFirst held a press event at Baltimore’s City Hall to highlight our efforts to address substance use disorders and the opioid addiction crisis across the region. Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh and other elected officials were in attendance.
