Trends in Federal and State Policy and Their Impact on Pain Management

In February 2016, President Obama expressed his compassion for people with pain loud and clear, saying, "If we go to doctors right now and say 'Don't overprescribe' without providing some mechanisms for people in these communities to deal with the pain that they have or the issues that they have, then we're not going to solve the problem, because the pain is real." Nevertheless, governors, members of Congress, and regulators are calling for aggressive government action that poses grave consequences for people with pain and their healthcare providers. The presentation will address the pressing policy issues affecting pain management. Also discussed will be recent federal action, including the CDC's opioid prescribing guidelines, and we'll look ahead to noteworthy federal and state level proposals. This course will examine the likely impact of legislation and regulations, looking at the current status, and predicted benefits, drawbacks, and unintended consequences of such efforts on the clinical management of pain. (Recorded at PAINWeek 2016)