U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) is among a group of senators asking health insurance companies to play a bigger role in combating the opioid epidemic.
The senators, in letters to the insurers, asked them to review their existing policies that could be unintentionally contributing to the drug addiction crisis. Further, they asked them to take additional steps to help curb addiction by offering safe alternatives to addictive pain medications.
The opioid epidemic led to more than 63,000 deaths in the United States in 2016.
“Unfortunately, it is often much harder for an individual to seek non-addictive pain medications or non-pharmacologic treatment options at the outset of treatment than it is to get a prescription opioid,” the senators wrote. “In order to effectively address this ongoing epidemic, we believe insurance companies must take additional steps to ensure they are playing a more active role in addiction prevention and treatment and providing beneficiaries full access to the range of clinically appropriate services available.”
One of those policies that could be contributing to the problem is prior authorization. This is where a patient’s doctor must get prior approval from an insurer before prescribing a more expensive non-formulary medication. While well intentioned to keep costs down, it can lead to the prescribing of cheaper opioids rather than safe alternatives.
The senators asked what policies the insurers have in patients to allow patients to access less addictive or non-addictive pain treatments. The senators asked the companies if they use internal controls to fight addiction, and how they identify a patient who might be struggling with addiction.