National Governors Association Expanding Access to Non-Opioid Chronic Pain Management
November 10, 2020 | Evidence in Integrative Healthcare
An August 2020 report by the National Governors Association highlighted the clear risks that opioids pose and the importance of increasing access to non-opioid forms of pain management as a strategy to confront the opioid overdose epidemic. The result of a 2018 National Governors Association Center for Best Practices Health Division convened expert roundtable with 5 states (Arizona, Delaware, Indiana, Oregon, and Washington), this report provides a resource for Governors looking to prioritize access to non-opioid therapies. The executive summary identified the following four strategies for Governors to consider:
- “Examine current evidence, coverage and access for non-opioid therapies and non-pharmacologic interventions such as physical therapy, acupuncture, and spinal manipulation for common musculoskeletal conditions such as low back pain
- Explore innovative, coordinated, interdisciplinary care delivery models that function as best practice models for patients experiencing complex, high-impact pain
- Consider state Medicaid strategies for expanding access to chronic pain management services that can be used to increase access to therapies and improve care for patient with chronic pain
- Identify additional state strategies to improve access to pain management for cross-sector collaboration to support expanded access to care”
The full report with much more detailed information is available at https://www.nga.org/center/publications/expanding-access-non-opioid-management-chronic-pain/.