Perspectives: In Battle Against Opioids, It’s Critical To Pass The NOPAIN Act

Pamplin Media Group: Doctors Should Not Be Penalized For Prescribing Opioid Alternatives
In order to increase access to safe and effective non-opioids across America's health care landscape, we are pushing for passage of the bipartisan Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation (NOPAIN) Act. This legislation would address the barriers within Medicare reimbursement policies that discourage providers from offering non-opioid pain management alternatives to patients undergoing surgery. (Jeff Merkley and David Russo, 12/9)

Also —

Idaho Statesman: Pharmacy Benefit Managers Drive Up Prescription Drug Costs 
Rising health care costs are of great concern for all Idahoans, but particularly for our seniors. This problem is most acute at the pharmacy counter where seniors are paying a greater share of their limited income for the medicines they need. A critical step toward lowering costs for patients at the pharmacy counter would be preventing pharmacy benefit managers from abusing their size and position in the drug supply chain. These middlemen drive up the cost of medications and services for everyone, including our most vulnerable patients. Pharmacists are often patients’ closest and most trusted health care providers, particularly in rural parts of Idaho. (Mike Briggs, 12/13)

New Hampshire Union Leader: We've Been Paying Too Much For Too Long
For too long, Granite Staters have had to pay too much to get the prescription drugs that we depend on. We pay three times more for the same medications as people do in other countries, and many of us are rationing pills or forgoing essential medications altogether because of cost. Today 1 in 4 NH residents do not fill a prescription due to cost. This is all while big drug and insurance companies keep bringing in record-breaking profits. The Build Back Better Act works to put an end to these injustices. (Jayme H. Simoes, 12/10)

The Washington Post: Will Republicans Really Stop Democrats From Lowering Insulin Prices? 
Republicans and Democrats have in recent years agreed on at least one thing: It’s important to tell voters you are very concerned about the ever-increasing price of prescription drugs. But now, with the Build Back Better bill, Democrats are actually proposing to do something about it — and Republicans might stand in the way. While a proposal to allow Medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs was drastically watered down (in its current form, Medicare will negotiate prices for a small number of drugs, though any resulting savings will not take effect until 2025), the bill limits the amount anyone on government or private insurance will pay for insulin to $35 a month. (Waldman, 12/13)