Why we need the Alternatives to PAIN Act | Opinion
Apr. 19, 2024
The opioid crisis has engulfed our nation, and the need for progressive and humane healthcare policies has never been more imperative.
The Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (Alternatives to PAIN) Act, introduced by Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) and Mark Kelly (D-Arizona), is a critical step forward in this regard. This legislation builds upon the foundational principles of the Opioid Patients’ Right to Know Act, a paradigm of patient-centered healthcare.
The Opioid Patients’ Right to Know Act, a landmark achievement pioneered in New Jersey, epitomizes these principles. It mandates discussions between healthcare prescribers and patients about opioids’ addictive nature and the availability of safer, alternative, non-opioid pain management options.
Twenty other states have since recognized its value and adopted it. This act empowers patients with the power to choose, question, and take an active role in their healthcare journey.
The Alternatives to PAIN Act is a natural and necessary extension. It seeks to dismantle the barriers hindering access to non-opioid pain treatments, particularly for seniors under Medicare Part D.
The act responds to the alarming statistics: In 2021, 1.1 million seniors were diagnosed with opioid use disorder and 50,000 suffered an opioid overdose.
Behind these numbers are real individuals — our loved ones who, in seeking relief, have fallen victim to addiction.
Currently, Medicare Part D inadvertently skews in favor of opioids due to their lower cost despite their high-risk profile. The Alternatives to PAIN Act aims to rectify this by reducing patient cost-sharing for non-opioid pain relief and removing restrictive measures such as step therapy and prior authorization.
These are not mere bureaucratic changes; they represent potential life-saving alterations in how we approach pain management.
Innovations in pain management, like those implemented by Dr. Patrick I. Borgen at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, further underscore the feasibility and necessity of shifting away from opioid reliance. Their success in breast cancer surgery pain management, which significantly reduced opioid use, stands as a testament to what is possible when safer alternatives are accessible and prioritized.
The Alternatives to PAIN Act, coupled with the widespread adoption of the Right to Know Act, offers a pathway toward a future where pain management is synonymous with safety, compassion and informed patient choice. By addressing the root causes of the opioid crisis, beginning with how we manage pain, we can move beyond merely treating its symptoms to creating a healthcare system grounded in patient empowerment and safety.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nj.com/opini...utType=amp
Apr. 19, 2024
The opioid crisis has engulfed our nation, and the need for progressive and humane healthcare policies has never been more imperative.
The Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (Alternatives to PAIN) Act, introduced by Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) and Mark Kelly (D-Arizona), is a critical step forward in this regard. This legislation builds upon the foundational principles of the Opioid Patients’ Right to Know Act, a paradigm of patient-centered healthcare.
The Opioid Patients’ Right to Know Act, a landmark achievement pioneered in New Jersey, epitomizes these principles. It mandates discussions between healthcare prescribers and patients about opioids’ addictive nature and the availability of safer, alternative, non-opioid pain management options.
Twenty other states have since recognized its value and adopted it. This act empowers patients with the power to choose, question, and take an active role in their healthcare journey.
The Alternatives to PAIN Act is a natural and necessary extension. It seeks to dismantle the barriers hindering access to non-opioid pain treatments, particularly for seniors under Medicare Part D.
The act responds to the alarming statistics: In 2021, 1.1 million seniors were diagnosed with opioid use disorder and 50,000 suffered an opioid overdose.
Behind these numbers are real individuals — our loved ones who, in seeking relief, have fallen victim to addiction.
Currently, Medicare Part D inadvertently skews in favor of opioids due to their lower cost despite their high-risk profile. The Alternatives to PAIN Act aims to rectify this by reducing patient cost-sharing for non-opioid pain relief and removing restrictive measures such as step therapy and prior authorization.
These are not mere bureaucratic changes; they represent potential life-saving alterations in how we approach pain management.
Innovations in pain management, like those implemented by Dr. Patrick I. Borgen at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, further underscore the feasibility and necessity of shifting away from opioid reliance. Their success in breast cancer surgery pain management, which significantly reduced opioid use, stands as a testament to what is possible when safer alternatives are accessible and prioritized.
The Alternatives to PAIN Act, coupled with the widespread adoption of the Right to Know Act, offers a pathway toward a future where pain management is synonymous with safety, compassion and informed patient choice. By addressing the root causes of the opioid crisis, beginning with how we manage pain, we can move beyond merely treating its symptoms to creating a healthcare system grounded in patient empowerment and safety.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nj.com/opini...utType=amp
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