The burden of prescription drug overdoses on Medicaid.

Overview Prescription drug abuse, misuse and overdoses are on the rise. In 2010, drug overdoses killed 38,329 Americans, 16,651 of whom died from prescription opioid painkillers such as oxycodone, hydrocodone and methadone. These drugs also were responsible for 420,040 emergency room visits in 2011. Opioid painkiller deaths have increased in lockstep with prescription opioid prescribing, and the increased, often inappropriate, prescribing of these drugs is a key driver of the epidemic.