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Combatting the Opioid Crisis
The opioid crisis in our nation is a crippling epidemic that has devastated the lives and communities of too many Iowans. In the Senate, I’m working to combat this crisis.
Click here or on the image above to read more about my visit to Black Hawk County as part of my 99 County Tour across Iowa.
Today, I visited with a group of Iowans in Black Hawk County who are working to combat the opioid crisis in our communities through the Voices for Non-Opioid Choices (“Voices”) coalition.
The focus of Voices is to increase patient access to non-opioid therapies and approaches to managing acute pain. Voices also works to raise awareness of the millions of Americans who, each year, become persistent opioid users following surgery. A majority of patients report having leftover opioids following surgery and nearly all did not properly dispose of them, increasing availability for abuse or misuse.
I was grateful for the chance to hear directly from Iowans who are working to prevent addiction and ensure that Iowans have access to non-opioid pain management options – which is critical for stopping opioid addiction in its tracks.
That’s why I was proud to join my colleagues in introducing the bipartisan Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation (NOPAIN) Act. Under current law, hospitals receive the same Medicare payment for both opioid and non-opioid prescriptions. This creates a disincentive for doctors to prescribe non-opioids, given that traditional opioids are typically dispensed by a pharmacy at little or no cost to the hospital.
The NOPAIN Act would address this current payment disincentive by requiring the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to provide separate Medicare reimbursement for non-opioid pain management options.
I also worked to pass the bipartisan and comprehensive SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act to clamp down on illicit opioid shipments, increase funding for research of non-opioid pain treatments, and encourage the development of non-opioid, non-addictive products.
The landmark package also included two of my provisions critical for tackling the ongoing opioid epidemic:
- My bill, the Access to Increased Drug Disposal (AIDD Act) was included to increase participation in federal prescription drug take-back programs to help combat prescription drug abuse
- My Education Disposal of Unused (EDU) Opioid Act was also included to require Medicare Advantage plans and prescription drug plans to provide information on the safe disposal of prescription drugs
Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic has placed additional strain on Iowans working to treat and prevent opioid addiction. In the CARES Act, I helped secure funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, allowing the Iowa Department of Public Health to expand its programs for Iowans struggling with substance abuse and mental illness.
Folks, while significant progress has been made in addressing the opioid epidemic, there is more work to be done. I’m grateful to health officials and local leaders for the important conversation we had at the Hawkeye Community Learning Center today, and I’m hopeful that together, we as Iowans can end this opioid epidemic for our families across the state and the country.
For more updates on what’s happening in Washington, D.C. and Iowa, be sure to ‘Like’ my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter @SenJoniErnst, and subscribe to my YouTube channel.
Thank you!
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