Our health care system must be able to anticipate and prepare for health emergencies, so it can respond in times of need. That’s true of COVID-19, but it also applies to any other public health crisis. As Nevada’s reopening continues, more patients will get medical procedures they’ve put off. As a result, more will leave the hospital with opioid prescriptions and potentially become addicted.
I’ve seen the effect of opioid dependence. We must use every resource to reduce opioid prescriptions. Non-opioid pain relief treatments offer a safe, effective, nonaddictive alternative. However, due to an outdated policy, patients on Medicare are unable to benefit from these therapies after surgery.
By passing the bipartisan Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation Act, and allowing patients greater access to non-opioid therapies, Congress can help minimize the numbers of opioids that will be prescribed once the COVID-19 crisis has passed us. I ask Nevada’s members of Congress to support this legislation so we can ensure that the opioid epidemic doesn’t become worse while we are focused on COVID-19.