Keith Kelley
Federal Legislation Needed to Help Seniors Overcome Opioid Addiction
As an elected official serving Alabamians in the legislature, I am committed to finding smart, responsible, and practical solutions to problems. One of our state’s biggest challenges is the ongoing opioid crisis, which has devastated every corner of Alabama. In 2021 alone, nearly 70 percent of drug overdose deaths in our state involved opioids, leaving countless families in grief and straining our state’s resources.
Seniors are at higher risk for opioid problems for a simple reason – they are more likely to need outpatient surgeries. When seniors receive opioids for post-surgical pain, many do not fully understand the risks, leading them down a path to misuse and dependency. Research shows that 6 to 20 percent of patients who get opioids after surgery become long-term users. So, it is not surprising that in 2021more than 1.1 million Medicare beneficiaries were diagnosed with opioid use disorder.
Effectively combatting the opioid crisis starts with giving seniors real choices when it comes to managing pain after medical interventions. While FDA approved non-opioid pain treatment options are already on the market, opioids remain the easiest and cheapest option for seniors due to bureaucratic barriers. That needs to change, which is why I am grateful for Senator Katie Britt’s leadership in co-sponsoring the Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (PAIN) Act last session, and I urge the Senator and the rest of Alabama’s Congressional delegation to help ensure that it is reintroduced as soon as possible and passed by Congress this year.
The Alternatives to PAIN Act would save lives by interrupting the cycle of addiction before it starts. The legislation recognized that seniors often live on tight budgets and may be financially incentivized to pick opioids because they are cheaper than alternatives. That is why the legislation established cost parity between opioids and non-opioids–ensuring the cost of alternative options is never higher than that of an opioid prescription.
The legislation would also eliminate unnecessary barriers that make it difficult for patients to choose the best course of action for their health. The Alternatives to PAIN Act prohibited the use of step therapy for patients seeking non-opioid treatments and prior authorization requirements. No more patients waiting days on end to get the care they need or being forced to risk addiction because of burdensome regulations. And no more providers having to spend hours on the phone with insurance companies so that their patients can get the care they need. When seniors in pain need safe and effective relief, government bureaucracy should not stand in their way.
While Alabama has made progress in tackling this crisis–including holding opioid manufacturers accountable–we need a comprehensive approach to turn the tide. It is time for federal action and the Alternatives to PAIN Act represents the kind of smart, targeted legislation that sees a problem and addresses it at the source.
We cannot solve this crisis overnight, but we can take one more step toward a future without overdose deaths by passing the Alternatives to PAIN Act and finally giving seniors a real choice.
Keith Kelley serves in the Alabama State Senate representing Calhoun and Talladega Counties