Medicare Part D Beneficiaries at Serious Risk of Opioid Misuse or Overdose: A Closer Look

As the Nation continues to struggle with the opioid crisis, it is vital to gain a deeper understanding of those who are at risk of misuse or overdose. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic makes the need to look at this population even more pressing. The National Institutes of Health recently issued a warning that individuals with opioid use disorder could be particularly hard hit by COVID-19, as it is a disease that attacks the lungs. Respiratory disease is known to increase the mortality risk among people taking opioids.