Assigned to HHS AS PASSED BY COW
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1162
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
(A.R.S. § 32-3248.01).
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; and
b) produces mental and physical debilitation.
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.
FACT SHEET- Amended
S.B. 1162
Page 2
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole
• Removes, from the definition of chronic intractable pain, pain that may produce a desire to
commit suicide for the sole purpose of stopping the pain.
Senate Action
HHS 1/26/21 DP 8-0-0
Prepared by Senate Research
January 24, 2022
MM/CC/sr