Advocacy Alert: Support the NOPAIN Act

July 8, 2021

via Partnership to End Addiction and Voices for Non-Opioid Choicesn

Under current law, hospitals receive the same payment from Medicare regardless of whether a physician prescribes an opioid, or a non-opioid. As a result, hospitals rely on opioids, which are typically dispensed by a pharmacy after discharge at little or no cost to the hospital.

The Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation (NOPAIN) Act would change this policy by directing CMS to provide separate Medicare reimbursement for non-opioid treatments used to manage pain in both the hospital outpatient department (HOPD) and the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) settings.

The NOPAIN Act (S. 586 / H.R. 3259) has garnered bipartisan support in Congress and organizational support by leading patient, provider, prevention, and recovery groups. This bill would ensure safe, non-addictive therapies to manage acute pain are widely available to the tens of millions of Americans who undergo an outpatient surgical procedure every year. This policy change aims to reduce unnecessary exposure to opioids and the likelihood of opioid abuse or addiction following an acute pain incident.

As you know, drug-related overdoses and deaths skyrocketed during the pandemic resulting in the highest rates ever recorded. Congress can act now to prevent addiction before it starts and ensuring those who need non-addictive pain therapies can access them. This bill would:

• Expand patient and provider access to FDA approved non-opioid pain management approaches in all outpatient surgical settings for the next 5 years; and
• Require a report to Congress on limitations, gaps, barriers to access, or deficits in Medicare coverage or reimbursement for therapeutic services.

The NOPAIN Act is endorsed by 60+ leading provider, patient, and prevention and recovery organizations across the country, and BHAP heartily supports it.

Voices for Non-Opioid Choices has a way to write or tweet your representatives to show your support for this legislation. A reminder that BHAP also has a way to find your representatives so you can contact them with your message.

Questions? Concerns?

As always, we want your input.

Did you know BHAP members get regular access to our advocate in Washington, DC? If you have any questions about BHAP's advocacy efforts, please contact us.