Medicare Opioid Fills Decline Across Racial Groups

A JAMA Network Open study finds opioid prescribing fell among Medicare beneficiaries of all racial and ethnic groups from 2013 to 2021, with the racial gap narrowing.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Substance Abuse

Medicare Opioid Fills Decline Across Racial Groups

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Opioid prescription fills and dosages declined among Medicare beneficiaries across racial and ethnic groups between 2013 and 2021, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open. Racial disparities in prescribing measures narrowed over the study period.

Why it matters

The decline follows a broader 64% drop in US opioid prescribing from its 2011 peak through 2022. Researchers say the findings point to possible clinician bias in pain assessment as a factor behind earlier racial differences in prescribing.

The study drew on 26,362,914 beneficiary-quarters for those 65 or older and 6,307,009 for younger beneficiaries with disability, showing fill prevalence declines of 30% to 50% across racial groups. Researchers did not report causal explanations for why reductions differed by group.

The players

JAMA Network Open

An open-access, peer-reviewed medical journal published by the American Medical Association that issued the study.

The details

Researchers analyzed Medicare data from 2013 to 2021 and standardized quarterly results for age, sex, region, urban or rural residence, and chronic pain and mental health disorders. Among White beneficiaries 65 or older, mean total dosage declined from 2146 to 1578 morphine milligram equivalents, while other minority groups saw modest or no dosage declines.

January 1, 2013: Study period begins.
2011: US opioid prescribing reaches its peak.
December 31, 2021: Study period ends.
November 9, 2026: Study published in JAMA Network Open.

Health Landscape

The Medicare findings extend a national opioid prescribing decline that reached 64% from its 2011 peak through 2022. The narrowing of racial disparities suggests the drop was not confined to any single demographic group.

Medicare beneficiaries prescribed opioids may see lower dosages than in earlier years, and the study indicates that reductions occurred across racial groups. Patients concerned about their own prescriptions should discuss pain management options with their clinicians.

The takeaway

Opioid prescribing reductions in Medicare reached multiple racial and ethnic groups, but the study's authors note that prescribing history and clinician assessment practices still deserve attention. Patients should keep open conversations with their doctors about pain treatment and dosage.