SLS 21RS-48 ORIGINAL
2021 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 82
BY SENATOR MIZELL
MEDICAID. Requests the Louisiana Department of Health to study Medicaid
reimbursements for nonopioid pain treatment and opioid alternatives.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health to study and report on options
3 regarding reimbursements for nonopioid pain treatment and opioid alternatives in the
4 Louisiana Medicaid program.
5 WHEREAS, there is an epidemic of opioid deaths in the United States with the
6 number of deaths from opioid overdose exceeding those from suicides or auto accidents; and
7 WHEREAS, over half of opioid overdose deaths are related to medications obtained
8 legally through a prescription; and
9 WHEREAS, excessive opioid prescribing, high-dose prescriptions, and chronic use
10 increase the risk for opioid dependency, overdose, and death; and
11 WHEREAS, several studies fail to show the benefits of long-term opioid therapy and
12 the first and only long-term study evaluating opioid versus nonopioid therapies for chronic
13 pain found no evidence of opioid superiority for either function or pain intensity; and
14 WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for
15 Chronic Pain recommends nonopioid analgesics, antidepressants, and antiseizure
16 medications for the treatment of some forms of chronic pain; and
17 WHEREAS, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has outlined options
18 and shared best practices for state Medicaid agencies and other payers to expand access to
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SLS 21RS-48 ORIGINAL
1 nonopioid pain treatments and other tactics to help address pain and the opioid crisis; and
2 WHEREAS, to safeguard the health and wellbeing of Louisiana residents, it is
3 important for Louisiana health policymakers to support these guidelines and encourage
4 health care providers to engage in prescribing patterns that support evidence-based safety
5 standards.
6 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
7 does hereby urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health to study and report on
8 options regarding reimbursements for nonopioid pain treatment and opioid alternatives in
9 the Louisiana Medicaid program.
10 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that no later than February 1, 2022, the department
11 shall prepare and submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the Senate
12 Committee on Health and Welfare.
13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
14 secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Brandi Cannon.
DIGEST
SR 82 Original 2021 Regular Session Mizell
Requests the Louisiana Department of Health to study and report on options regarding
reimbursements for nonopioid pain treatment and opioid alternatives in the Louisiana
Medicaid program.
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