A new mapping tool is available that looks at Medicare Part D opioid prescribing. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services maps open as statewide, but you can zoom in to view county level and zipcode level data too.
"The opioid prescribing rate interactive mapping tool shows geographic comparisons, at the state, county, and ZIP code levels, of de-identified Medicare Part D opioid prescription claims – prescriptions written and then submitted to be filled – within the United States. This mapping tool allows the user to see both the number and percentage of opioid claims at the local level and better understand how this critical issue impacts communities nationwide. The data used in this mapping tool is from calendar years 2013 and 2014 Medicare Part D prescription drug claims prescribed by health care providers and does not contain beneficiary information."
And, the data are easy to download as an Access spreadsheet. There are four sections to this online offering.
View Prescriber Level Opioid Rates
Download Opioid Map Data (ZIP)
Part D Prescriber Look-up Tool
NDEWS Note Limitations: This is based on Medicare prescribing only, so it includes some of the boomers and most their elders, but leaves out all those high-risk young adults.
If any of you are developing maps or mapping tools like this, please let NDEWS know.
