AGs Urge Health Insurance Companies to Reduce Provider Incentives for Prescribing Pain Killers

The undersigned State Attorneys General are urging America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) to take proactive steps to encourage your members to review their payment and coverage policies and revise them, as necessary and appropriate, to encourage healthcare providers to prioritize non-opioid pain management options over opioid prescriptions for the treatment of chronic, non-cancer pain.

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NAAG Requests Removal of Federal Barriers to Treat Opioid Use Disorder

Unfortunately, there are three significant barriers to treating opioid use disorder that we cannot change at the state level and that must be tackled at the federal level. We share these barriers below in the hope that we can work together to remove them and allow more providers to offer treatment for opioid use disorder and other substance use disorders.

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AGs Express Concern about Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force Draft Report

The Draft Report should be revised to clearly state that there is no completely safe opioid dose, and that higher doses are particularly – and predictably – risks.

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NAAG Urges FDA to Include AGs in Oversight of Cannabis-Derived Products

As the primary enforcers of our respective states’ consumer protection laws, we offer a unique perspective as to the new legalized market of certain cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds, including CBD products. We write to express our hope that the FDA continues to explore manufacturing, testing, and marketing best practices so that consumers are not at risk of misleading advertising or harm to their health from dangerous additives or undisclosed risks of use. Although products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds may well offer real benefits to consumers, it is important that consumers have reliable risk and benefit information to make informed choices about initiating and continuing the use of these products. A crucial element of FDA regulation and oversight should be an on-going assessment of the potential risks or benefits of these products, particularly for specific populations such as pregnant women, adolescents and children, and the elderly. How these products interact with other dietary or pharmaceutical products should be included in this assessment. It is also important that companies not mislead consumers. Scientific and medical data from the FDA would assist in meaningful enforcement of advertising laws and regulations by the states.

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All 56 State and Territory Attorneys General Ask Congress to Permanently Classify Fentanyl-Related Substances as Schedule I Drugs

Washington, D.C. — The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) sent a letter to Senate leadership, urging Congress to permanently classify fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs. Schedule I drugs are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. All 56 state and territory attorneys general signed the letter asking Congress to…

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Attorneys General Raise Concern About Illegal Alcohol Sales Online

Social media and digital platforms have become interwoven into the fabric of our society. Consumers have become increasingly dependent on the broad access to goods for sale through these mediums. Unfortunately, the near unlimited access to goods has increasingly exposed consumers, including minors, to unlicensed sales of alcohol and counterfeit products. We are seeking your assistance to address some of the challenges to consumer protection associated with online marketplaces and to improve the legitimacy of these sales.

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NAAG Sends Letter to Congressional Leadership Urging Removal of Federal Barriers to Treat Opioid Use Disorder

Washington, D.C. — The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) has sent a letter to congressional leadership in both chambers, asking for the removal of federal barriers that are currently preventing health care providers from offering treatment for opioid use disorder. Opioid use disorder is the physical and psychological reliance on opioids. Symptoms of opioid addiction include uncontrollable…

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Prosecuting Drug Overdose Cases: A Paradigm Shift

The number of overdose deaths in the United States has risen alarmingly; they are now the number one cause of accidental deaths. Investigating and prosecuting these deaths as homicides requires re-thinking how law enforcement handles these deaths and a thorough understanding of the laws supporting prosecuting the dealer who sold the drugs.

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Attorneys General Support Federal Bill to Increase Access to Drug Addiction Treatment

Washington, D.C. — The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) is endorsing the federal bill, “Road to Recovery Act” (H.R. 2938) which will help address a lack of treatment for those suffering from drug addiction. The legislation will make treatment affordable for those who need it, and create market incentives for new treatment resources. America’s opioid…

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Attorneys General Urge Health Insurance Companies to Reduce Provider Incentives for Prescribing Pain Killers

Washington, D.C.—The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) sent a letter today to America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), asking its insurance company members to review payment and coverage policies and revise them, as needed, to encourage healthcare providers to choose alternatives to prescribing prescription pain relievers known as opioids. Opioid overdoses kill 91 Americans every…

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