Racial Disparities Across Provider Specialties in Opioid Prescriptions Dispensed to Medicaid Beneficiaries with Chronic Noncancer Pain

Chronic pain affects both psychological and physical functioning, and is responsible for more than $60 billion in lost productivity annually in the United States. Although previous studies have demonstrated racial disparities in opioid treatment, there is little evidence regarding disparities in treatment of chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) and the role of physician specialty