Too many Idaho seniors are getting addicted to opioids | Opinion

Ammon, a small town near Idaho Falls where I serve as mayor, is a community where families and businesses thrive. We’re friendly people who value hard work but appreciate a small-town lifestyle. But like so many places across the country, Ammon is not immune to the devastating impact of the opioid crisis.

This crisis doesn’t discriminate. It affects working parents, young people and seniors — many of whom end up dependent following a prescription for opioids to manage pain after surgery. As mayor, I see how this crisis impacts our public resources. Our community hospital systems are heavy-hit, and our law enforcement officers, who have found themselves on the front lines of this crisis, are likewise strained.

In 2023, 264 Idahoans died from opioid-related overdoses. Each death represents a family shattered and a life cut short. More alarmingly, half of these deaths involved fentanyl, a reality that keeps many of our first responders up at night. But what concerns me most is how many of these tragedies began in the most innocent way possible – with a senior trying to manage severe pain.

Despite providers’ best efforts, the reality is that too many seniors see opioids as their only way to manage post-surgical pain because they are cheap and easy to access, even though there are alternatives on the market. To break the cycle of addiction and lower overdose deaths, we need to make sure seniors can access all FDA-approved pain treatments available. That’s why I’m asking Idaho’s Congressional delegation to support the Alternatives to Prevent Addiction In the Nation (PAIN) Act this Congress.

Cost is one of the biggest obstacles to accessing opioid alternatives. A system that makes opioids the cheapest available option is not a system that is working for seniors, who are often on a fixed income. The Alternatives to PAIN Act would fix this and make sure that seniors never have to spend more out-of-pocket for a non-opioid than they would for generic opioids. There is no reason for effective alternatives to be financially out of reach for seniors.

The current system also forces seniors and their providers to navigate a maze of bureaucratic requirements if they want to access alternatives for pain management. They have to navigate prior authorization requirements and sometimes even attempt opioids first, a practice known as step therapy. Why should a senior in pain wait for days or even risk addiction before getting access to safe alternatives? The Alternatives to PAIN Act eliminates these requirements so that seniors don’t have to jump through hoops to get the medications they need.

We’re going up against a system that stacks the deck against seniors who need safe and effective pain relief. The Alternatives to PAIN Act will fix that system, protect seniors, and help ease the burden on our law enforcement and healthcare systems. Seniors form the backbone of our communities; they deserve to age with dignity and in good health.