McCaskill Continues Battling Opioid Epidemic with Introduction of Two Bipartisan Bills to Crack Down on Overprescriptions
Senator’s proposals aimed at bringing down overprescriptions and providing oversight and accountability to Medicare programs
WASHINGTON – Continuing her fight to combat the opioid epidemic in Missouri and across the country, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill introduced two bipartisan bills to cut down on overprescriptions of opioids and bring additional oversight and accountability to opioid prescribers in Medicare.
“Communities all across our state are feeling the effects of the opioid epidemic, and we need to be addressing this from every corner in every way possible—which is why I’m going after manufacturers and working to bring down overpresciptions, increase access to treatment, and stop prescription drug shoppers,” McCaskill said. “In one case, a Missouri doctor prescribed an average of 31 opioid prescriptions per patient—a rate far above his peers and what is clinically acceptable—something our bipartisan legislation would help spot and crack down on.”
McCaskill introduced both bills with Republican Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania. One proposal would seek to decrease overprescriptions of opioids by requiring the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to identify prescribers of opioids who are outliers compared to their peers and work to bring their practices into line with clinical standards. This effort follows up on a report from the top watchdog at CMS that found 401 prescribers had questionable opioid prescribing patterns, putting beneficiaries at serious risk.
The second proposal by McCaskill and Senator Toomey would help cut down on overprescriptions of opioids by providing greater oversight of Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D prescribers. This follows a report from the government’s top watchdog that found CMS lacks key insight into opioid-related risk in Medicare Part D because it does not require plan sponsors to report cases of waste, fraud, abuse, or overprescription.
McCaskill is also backing major bipartisan legislation to help address the crisis with additional support for local and statewide prevention efforts, better coordination to slow the importation of illegal shipments of the synthetic opioid fentanyl, and by closing a loophole that would allow hospice staff to safely dispose of controlled substances when a patient dies.
McCaskill, an outspoken advocate in combating the opioid epidemic, is currently engaged in the most comprehensive Congressional investigation into the opioid crisis to date, requesting documents from opioid manufacturers and distributors. Following her successful work to ensure county and municipal level prescription drug monitoring programs would be eligible for federal funds and her support for their grant applications, McCaskill announced that St. Louis County was awarded $1 million to support the network of county and city level prescription drug monitoring programs in Missouri.
Visit www.mccaskill.senate.gov/opioid-investigation to learn more about McCaskill’s investigation.
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