Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Hospital Cracks Down On Inconsistencies With Prescribing Opioids As It Tries To Battle Crisis
Baltimore Sun: Hospitals Cut Back On Prescribing Opioids To Address Addiction Problem They Unwittingly Helped Create
Health system officials found the highest prescribing primary care doctor gave patients 10 times the opioids of the lowest, though the disparity was only three times between the highest and lowest 20 percent of prescribing doctors. ... They established a goal to reduce the amount of opioids prescribed by 50 percent by 2019. (9/22)
The Hill: Senate Health Committee Schedules Hearing On Opioid Crisis
The Senate Health Committee will hold a hearing on the opioid crisis next month. The committee will focus on the federal response to the crisis and conduct oversight of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, a law passed in 2016 that supports efforts to address the issue. (Hellmann, 9/21)
And in other news —
The Associated Press: Opioid Epidemic Laws Lead Panel To Revisit Recovery Schools
A fire led to the eventual end of Phoenix — a groundbreaking Maryland public school program for children with addiction that closed in 2012 — but the state could see institutions like it rise again from the ashes. Recent spikes in the Maryland heroin and opioid epidemic have triggered calls for substantial changes in education systems statewide, and a state work group is weighing the return of recovery schools after a Sept. 7 meeting. (Slater, 9/21)
WBUR: Billions Of Dollars Lost To The Opioid Epidemic In Mass.
The CDC found that opioid use, dependence and overdoses cost the U.S. $78.5 billion in 2013. That's a big number, but almost certainly underestimates current costs for two reasons. (Bebinger, 9/21)
