Dive Brief:
- A bipartisan group of lawmakers in both houses of Congress have introduced legislation aiming to create an action plan to recommend changes to Medicare and Medicaid to increase access to medication-assisted treatment and reduce opioid addiction.
- Under the legislation, the Department of Health and Human Services would have to develop the Opioid Addiction Action Plan by Jan. 1, 2019. The bill would direct HHS Secretary Alex Azar and the Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force to develop the recommendations.
- The legislation was introduced by Sens. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., Dean Heller, R-Nev., and Johnny Isakson, R-Ga. Reps. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., and Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., introduced companion legislation in the House.
Dive Insight:
In the state of Nevada alone, over 600 people died as a result of a drug overdose in 2016, and an average of more than 115 people across the country die each day after overdosing on opioids.
The legislation will require HHS to create a plan that will include: recommendations on better data collection; improvements to reimbursement of medication-assisted treatment; improved provider education on treatments for chronic pain and addiction; and ways to expand access to addiction treatment.
The plan also includes the identification of: non-opioid treatments for pain management; monitors to track withdrawal and prevent overdose; and monitors for the treatment of substance and opioid use disorder.
"We need to change the way Medicare and Medicaid approach pain management and addiction treatment. By developing an Opioid Addiction Action Plan that focuses on improving access to substance abuse treatment and providing non-opioid pain management solutions, we can turn the tide of the opioid crisis," Menendez said in a statement.
To achieve this will require more than just legislation, however. It will require investment in the development of new, non-opioid pain treatments.
Projects in the pipeline include preclinical projects such as Kineta and Roche/Genentech's neuropathic pain deal, Lilly's shift towards pain and Heron Therapeutics' HTX-011 succeeding in Phase 3 trials I postoperative pain control.
Jim Greenwood, CEO of trade group BIO, said in a statement the legislation would help drive research and investment in novel treatments to treat pain and addiction.
"Specific and targeted updates to coverage and reimbursement policies impacting the Medicare and Medicaid programs will drive appropriate coverage of novel pain and addiction treatment across the United States," Greenwood said. "By directing CMS to develop an Opioid Action Plan, this Act would help accomplish this critical goal."