Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (PAIN) Act
The opioid crisis in the United States shows no signs of slowing, impacting communities and families across the country. In 2022, over 80,000 Americans died from an overdose, while nearly 10 million Americans misused opioids 1. One underreported statistic has been the impact on our senior population – over 1.1 million seniors were diagnosed with an opioid use disorder, and more than 50,000 seniors overdosed on opioids last year alone 2. The Alternatives to PAIN Act, legislation recently introduced in the House of Representatives, can help prevent opioid addiction before it begins.
The Alternatives to PAIN Act has bipartisan support to increase access for seniors to non-opioid pain management options in Medicare Part D.
The Alternatives to PAIN Act (H.R. 7142/S. 3832) was recently introduced in Congress by Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) and Tony Cardenas (D-CA). This bipartisan legislation will build on the success of past legislation, like the NOPAIN Act, by increasing access for seniors to non-opioid pain management options in Medicare Part D, which provides prescription drug coverage for nearly 52 million Americans.
The legislation would ensure that seniors have full access to non-opioid pain management options and allow patients and healthcare professionals to choose the treatment that is right for them. Under this bill, Americans on Medicare Part D and would never pay more for a non-opioid than they would for an opioid prescription.
The Alternatives to PAIN Act is supported by over 50 organizations.
Voices was joined by over 50 organizations in sending a letter to House and Senate leadership calling on Congress to pass the Alternatives to PAIN Act. This widespread endorsement showcases the overwhelming support for this critical piece of legislation. With opioid overdose death rates continuing to climb, Congress must remain vigilant in fighting this crisis. Seniors deserve choices when managing their pain or recovering from surgery.
Read the Full Letter Here
Patients, especially America’s seniors, deserve access to safe, effective, FDA approved non-addictive forms of pain management options.
- There is an immediate need for patients in the United States, especially our vulnerable senior population, to have unrestricted access to all forms of pain management, particularly those that do not include addictive opioids.
- In 2021, 1.1 million seniors were diagnosed with an opioid use disorder, and 50,400 seniors experienced an opioid overdose from prescription opioids, illicit opioids, or both. 3
- By increasing access to non-opioids, the United States can drive down the rates of opioid misuse, stopping overdoses and ultimately deaths.
- The NOPAIN Act, passed by Congress in 2022, gave American seniors much-needed access to non-opioid forms of pain management, but only in the outpatient surgical setting through a patient’s Medicare Part B benefit. The Alternatives to PAIN Act will build on that success in Medicare Part D to ensure America’s seniors can access novel forms of pain management.
Alternatives to traditional opioids are vital to helping solve the opioid crisis.
- Approximately 21 percent of opioid-related overdose deaths were due to prescription opioids in 2020. 4
- These alternatives to traditional opioids offer patients an FDA-approved, safe, and effective option for the tens of millions of Americans who undergo an outpatient surgical procedure every year. Research shows that between 6 and 20 percent of these patients will develop become newly persistent opioid users.
- These alternatives to opioids can help reduce opioid misuse, abuse, and addiction, saving both lives and strained fiscal resources of America’s health care systems.
Action to increase access to alternatives cannot wait.
Interested in learning more about the Alternatives to PAIN Act? Please contact info@nonopioidchoices.org for all inquiries.