Health & Human Services (HHS) Release New Actions to Address Opioid Crisis

The United States Department of Health and Human Services has new actions planned to address the opioid crisis. The buprenorphine rule has been finalized, which allows physicians who have waivers to prescribe buprenorphine products (e.g., Suboxone) for up to 100 patients for 1 year or more to obtain a waiver to treat up to 275 patients. Also, per Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) many doctors have reported feeling financial pressure to overprescribe opioids since Medicare payments to hospitals are tied to scores on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey, therefore CMS is recommending that the pain management questions on the HCAHPS be eliminated. Lastly, Indian Health Service is mandating that its opioid pharmacists and prescribers check their state prescription drug monitoring program database before dispensing or prescribing any opioids. In an effort to improve and expand prescriber education and training programs, HHS will also be conducting over a dozen studies on pain treatment and opioid misuse.

To learn more about the latest actions by HHS see the HHS July 6, 2016 news release.

Robert S. Iwrey, Esq., a founding partner of The Health Law Partners, P.C., practices in all areas of healthcare law and devotes a substantial portion of his practice assisting clients in pharmacy legal matters including compliance, third party payor audits, government investigations, state licensing and DEA registrations. For more information regarding this article or pharmacy legal matters, please contact Robert S. Iwrey, Esq. at (248) 996-8510 or (212) 734-0128 or riwrey@thehlp.com.