Sickle Cell Disease Data Highlight

Office of Minority Health

Sickle Cell Disease Data Highlight

This September the health community recognized National Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Sickle Cell Disease is the most prevalent genetic blood disorder in the United States, with an estimated 100,000 people living with this disease. This disease, which disproportionately affects Blacks and Latinos, can be very painful, causing emergency department visits and hospitalizations.

To help bring awareness to treatment for this vulnerable population, the CMS Office of Minority Health has released a data highlight entitled The Invisible Crisis: Understanding Pain Management in Medicare Beneficiaries with Sickle Cell Disease. Click here to view the report:bit.ly/sickle-cell-dh.

This data highlight describes opioid utilization patterns and the characteristics of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries with and without Sickle Cell Disease, based on Medicare Part D prescription drug records.

The complex nature of Sickle Cell Disease pain management may be exacerbated by ongoing efforts to address the opioid epidemic that are led by local, state, and federal initiatives to regulate opioid-prescribing practices in an effort to combat opioid misuse. Excluding sickle cell patients from efforts to restrict opioid access, similar to exclusions for cancer and hospice patients, could help ensure that sickle cell patients have access to appropriate care.

Read more from the CMS Office of Minority Health at go.cms.gov/omh.