As someone who runs a 501c3 nonprofit helping those dealing with addiction in North Carolina, I am very familiar with how debilitating the opioid epidemic has been.
Between 2020 and 2021, 84% of total overdose deaths in North Carolina involved opioids, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In fact, there was a 25% increase in opioid overdose deaths reported in North Carolina between 2020 and 2021.
Our team is constantly grappling with the immense strain this epidemic has placed on our resources and our ability to provide effective advice, treatment options and other tools for recovery.
But the true cost extends far beyond the walls of a treatment facility. The hidden price tag of the opioid crisis is crippling our state. A study conducted in 2020 revealed Medicare spent $33 billion on seniors suffering from opioid use disorder (OUD). In North Carolina alone, $3,304 per person was spent on OUD and fatal opioid overdoses in 2017 — that’s 22% higher than the national average. These are funds that could have been directed towards prevention, outreach, and access to critical treatment services.
The bipartisan Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (Alternatives to PAIN) Act, currently making its way through Congress, represents a crucial opportunity to change the destructive trajectory of the opioid crisis.
Older Americans are especially vulnerable to OUD, since they are frequently prescribed painkillers following medical procedures. Providing seniors safer treatment options would make them far less likely to become ensnared in addiction. This legislation would ensure seniors on Medicare can easily access affordable, non-addictive pain management alternatives and eliminate unnecessary barriers by ensuring that Medicare Part D can choose non-addictive pain treatments at the same cost as generic opioids. This would give all eligible seniors unfettered access to safer alternatives.
Our senior citizens face many pressing health issues, and reducing their risk of opioid dependency is vital. By passing the Alternatives to PAIN Act, we can provide them with pain management options that make them less susceptible to the ravages of addiction.
Passing this legislation represents a huge moment in weaning our healthcare system off its reliance on highly addictive opioids. However, the success of this legislation also hinges on support from key healthcare players. Insurers and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) should prioritize patient wellbeing by supporting accessibility to these alternatives.
Our representatives should not only champion the Alternatives to PAIN Act, but also rally these critical stakeholders to support this bill. Sustained commitment from policymakers and stakeholders will be essential to fully transitioning away from opioids and ending the devastation of the addiction crisis.
The Alternatives to PAIN Act is a pivotal first step, but much more remains to be done.
By supporting this bill, the North Carolina Congressional Delegation has the power to set our state on a healthier path forward. All patients deserve the freedom to choose safe, effective pain management options — and this legislation can help make that a reality.
Allison Hudson Mingle,
founder and president of Will’s Place,
Albemarle