Hassle Costs versus Information: How Do Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs Reduce Opioid Prescribing?
American Economic Journal: Economic Policy
vol. 16,
no. 1, February 2024
(pp. 87-123)
Abstract
We study hassle costs versus information provision in explaining how prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) decrease opioid prescribing. PDMPs aim to reduce opioid prescribing through information provision but may also unintentionally affect prescribing through the hassle of required record checks. We analyze Kentucky's landmark PDMP to disentangle these two mechanisms. Hassle costs reduce opioid prescribing across the board, including to opioid-naive patients; however, physicians continue to prescribe opioids to patients who would benefit the most. Although information also affects prescribing, hassle costs explain the majority of the decline. Introducing a cost to prescribing high-risk medications improves the targeting of treatment.Citation
Alpert, Abby, Sarah Dykstra, and Mireille Jacobson. 2024. "Hassle Costs versus Information: How Do Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs Reduce Opioid Prescribing?" American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 16 (1): 87-123. DOI: 10.1257/pol.20200579Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- H75 State and Local Government: Health; Education; Welfare; Public Pensions
- I11 Analysis of Health Care Markets
- I12 Health Behavior
- I18 Health: Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
- L65 Chemicals; Plastics; Rubber; Drugs; Biotechnology
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