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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
opioid prescriptions; intractable pain; exceptions
Purpose
Exempts patients with perioperative surgical pain, intractable pain or chronic intractable pain from statutory opioid prescription dosage restrictions.
Background
Health professionals in Arizona may not issue
opioid prescriptions exceeding 90 morphine milligram equivalents (MME) per day
to patients outside of a health care institution, except those patients: 1) with an active oncology diagnosis; 2) with a
traumatic injury, not including a surgical procedure; 3) receiving hospice care; 4) receiving end-of-life care; 5) receiving
palliative
care; 6) receiving skilled nursing facility care; 7) receiving treatment for
burns; 8) receiving
medication-assisted treatment for a substance use disorder; or 9) who are
hospitalized
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Expands the list of exemptions from the 90 MME per day limit on opioid prescriptions to include patients:
a) experiencing intractable or chronic intractable pain; or
b) receiving opioid treatment for perioperative surgical pain.
2. Defines chronic intractable pain as pain that:
a) is excruciating, constant, incurable and of such severity that it dominates virtually every conscious moment;
b) produces mental and physical debilitation; and
c) may produce a desire to commit suicide for the sole purpose of stopping the pain.
3. Defines intractable pain as a pain state that:
a) persists beyond the usual course of an acute disease, healing of an injury or surgery; or
b) results from a chronic disease or condition causing continuous or intermittent pain over a period of months or years.
4. Makes technical and conforming changes.
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 24, 2022
MM/CC/sr