Battling the opioid epidemic

We’re continuing our efforts to combat the opioid epidemic through an array of initiatives and increased communications about the latest news and research. Check out the items below.

9 organizations receive more than $570,000 in grants to address opioid crisis
Nine community coalitions throughout Michigan will receive a total of $570,400 in funding through the Taking Action on Opioid and Prescription Drug Abuse in Michigan by Supporting Community Responses initiative, courtesy of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and the Superior Health Foundation. The partnership provides one-time grants to begin new projects, or to enhance or expand existing projects aimed at reducing opioid and prescription drug abuse and harm. For more details, see the blog on MI Blues Perspectives.

Blue Cross works with policymakers to address epidemic
In late December, Lt. Gov. Brian Calley signed an opioid bill package into law (Public Acts 246-255 of 2017). Among other actions, the new law will increase use of the Michigan Automated Prescription System, limit new prescriptions to a seven-day supply and increase communications efforts for patients who are prescribed an opioid. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan advocated for this legislation, serving on the original task force that recommended the changes. In addition, CEO Dan Loepp issued a public statement in support of the new law.

U of M offers online class on solving the opioid crisis
Based on a request from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the University of Michigan is rerunning one of its online “Teach-Out” classes called “Teach-Out: Solving the Opioid Crisis.” Teach-Outs are short online courses that are open to everyone. In this class, experts from the fields of medicine, pharmacy, public health and dentistry will examine the affects of this national epidemic and answer such key questions as: What are opioids? How did we get to the current crisis? How can we recognize opioid abuse and what can we do about it? What makes the crisis so complex? The course opens March 5 and is available for three weeks. For more information and to enroll, click here.

Blue Cross limits supplies of opioid pain relievers
As part of our efforts to prevent opioid abuse, Blue Cross has changed how we manage opioids for our commercial members as follows:

• All fills of opioid pain relievers will be limited to a 30-day supply.
• Initial fills will be limited to a five-day supply for members who haven’t recently filled a prescription for opioid therapy and have been prescribed a short-acting agent.

For more details, see the January Record article.

Five steps to avoid prescription medication abuse in teens
A nationwide survey of eighth-, 10th- and 12th-graders shows that teens perceive less risk in trying prescription drugs like Vicodin and OxyContin than in previous years. As the opioid crisis continues to affect communities across the country, it’s important to keep in mind that changing attitudes toward substance abuse often precedes changes in reported use. We encourage health care providers to remind adult patients receiving any treatment that requires the use of a prescription pain medication to take the following steps to prevent abuse of these medications:

• Discuss the danger of legal prescription drugs misuse and how it compares closely to the use of illegal street drugs.
• Monitor dosage and quantities to ensure all pills are accounted for in the household.
• Keep prescription drugs in a secure location that isn’t readily accessible to teens.
• Dispose of any unused prescriptions at a safe collection site near you.
• Talk with families, friends and neighbors about how teens are misusing prescription drugs and what can be done to prevent teens from becoming victims of drug abuse.

For more details, see the blog on MI Blues Perspectives by Dr. Gary Vance, dental director with Blue Cross Specialty Products.