News

Opioid alternatives advocates press for NO PAIN Act, stalled in Congress

December 19, 2020 In 2018, 287 people in Iowa succumbed to a fatal drug overdose, the last year for which the CDC had data — mirroring the national downward trend. Now, fatal overdoses in Iowa are rising again, surpassing their 2019 number in November.

Advocates, physicians call NOPAIN Act ‘game changer’

December 11, 2020Along with causing a crisis of its own, the COVID-19 pandemic, which has now impacted the nation for roughly nine months, has exacerbated longstanding crises in healthcare, employment, housing and education. The opioid epidemic is no exception.

Medicare payments favor opioids over alternatives, and that’s a problem

October 14, 2020Given the very real risks of opioid medications and the severity of Pennsylvania’s addiction crisis, we can’t wait to act. Antiquated federal regulations have helped to create our nation’s over-reliance on opioids, which remain the cheapest option for health-care providers because of how insurance payments are administered under the current Medicare reimbursement rule.

Joni Ernst visits Van G. Miller HCC in Waterloo, discusses opioid crisis

August 13, 2020U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst lead an opioid roundtable discussion at the Van G. Miller Adult Learning Center in Waterloo with a group of nine doctors, addiction specialists and others.

Luria supports NOPAIN Act for non-opioid pain treatments

August 8, 2020Congresswoman Elaine Luria announced she is supporting the Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation (NOPAIN) Act.

Opioid Overdoses Spiking During Coronavirus Crisis

August 6, 2020Opioid addiction has been a problem for a long time, but 2020 has made it worse. Congress needs to do something in the upcoming coronavirus relief package to address the growing opioid crisis that has resulted because of the pandemic.

The Challenge in Accessing Non-Opioid Pain Management Approaches

August 4, 2020Op-Ed: Action needed to combat opioid epidemic and provide providers and patients choices in pain management.

COVID-19 could make opioid epidemic worse

August 4, 2020While hospitals themselves must continue to maintain on-call staff and critical supplies of medicines, we need federal action to combat additional challenges, particularly those that occur outside hospital walls.

NOPAIN Act should be supported by Indiana lawmakers

August 3, 2020While Indiana begins to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, there is reason to believe the fight against the opioid epidemic has only become more difficult.

Act Aims to Get Medicare on Board with Opioid Alternatives

July 31, 2020According to a recent analysis of opioid-prescribing practices, approximately 3 million Americans become regular opioid users following surgery every year, and unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic is triggering even more abuse, relapse, and overdose fatalities.

Combatting addiction means re-thinking pain treatment

July 30, 2020Getting the resources you need to battle addiction is hard enough. Doing it during COVID-19 can be nearly impossible, and the current state of our country could be making the severity of Alabama’s addiction crisis far worse.

Don’t forget opioids, Arizona’s other epidemic

July 29, 2020Arizonans already wrestling with addiction now face the added strain of COVID-19 social isolation or may worry about job security and being able to pay bills and other necessary expenses.

Time for Congress to back NOPAIN Act

July 24, 2020The social isolation and stress caused by Covid-19 can be incredibly difficult for those battling substance abuse.

A potential solution to incentivized opioid prescriptions

July 12, 2020Opioid addiction, abuse and deaths have been a consistent problem in the United States and Missouri for decades. The coronavirus pandemic has only increased and highlighted these problems more.

Increasing patient access to non-opioids

July 7, 2020An unintended consequence of restarting elective surgeries may be a flood of new opioid prescriptions owing to the backlog of deferred procedures.

Opioid crisis still looming over us

July 7, 2020As Nevada’s reopening continues, more patients will get medical procedures they’ve put off. As a result, more will leave the hospital with opioid prescriptions and potentially become addicted.

Congress should pass the NOPAIN Act and empower doctors and patients to help curb opioid abuse

June 25, 2020As COVID-19 tests America’s health care capacity, doctors have been forced to put their resources where they matter most, delaying non-essential operations until our current public health crisis is under control.

Nurses care for patients

June 23, 2020Whether treating someone infected with COVID-19 or providing routine post-operative care, our priority is what’s best for the patient. That’s why I’m concerned right now with an apparent surge in opioids overdoses being reported in communities across the country.

Don’t forget Arizona’s other serious epidemic: opioid addiction

June 16, 2020Drug and alcohol counselors like me know this is a dangerous time. Arizonans already wrestling with addiction now face the strain of COVID-19 social isolation or may worry about job security.

Hike in opioid use a concern

June 16, 2020Nurses care for patients. Whether treating someone infected with COVID-19 or providing routine post-operative care, our priority is what’s best for the patient.

Preventing opioid addiction means more access to pain treatment options

May 26, 2020Arizona hospitals and healthcare professionals shifted their focus in recent months to responding to the COVID-19 crisis. But early indications now suggest the pandemic may be helping to fuel our nation’s other public health emergency: opioid abuse.

Surgical pain is inevitable, but unnecessary opioids can be avoided

March 3, 2020March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and, though survival rates have fortunately risen over the last few decades, another issue has appeared for far too many patients: opioid dependence and addiction after surgery.

Let's play follow the leader in tackling America's opioid epidemic

February 6, 2020In a crisis, words are simply not enough. Our country must have bold leadership and the commitment to follow through with bold action.

Providers want CMS to unbundle non-opioid drugs in outpatient care

January 30, 2020Advocates for non-opioid pain management alternatives are calling on policymakers to increase access to non-opioid pain management alternatives, including unbundling certain drugs in outpatient settings and increasing provider training.

The missing piece of the current health care debate

December 8, 2019Election season is upon us, and candidates all over the ideological spectrum are promoting their platforms to improve the lives of everyday Americans. Many of these potential leaders have grand plans to improve health care inthe United States.