Improving Access to High Quality Pain Care

ASA supports policies that promote access to safe and effective pain care and has a significant interest in reducing the misuse, abuse, and diversion of opioid medications that have led to unintended deaths. ASA collaborates with other societies and government entities to further these efforts.

ASA Actions Supporting Safe and Effective Pain Care

• Anesthesia Medical Societies Announce Launch of National Pain Medicine Coalition
• ASA Offers Formal Input on the Future Direction of the NIH HEAL Initiative (PDF)
• ASA Pushes for Changes to Restrictive Humana Peripheral Nerve Stimulators (PNS) Policy
• HHS Finalizes Expanded Access to Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
• ASA Opposes Payment Cuts Proposed by CMS for 2025
• ASA Recommendations Included in CDC Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Pain
• United Healthcare to Implement ASA-recommended Changes to Coverage for Pain Treatment
• ASA Joins in Call to Reinstate HHS Prohibition on Step Therapy
• ASA Provides Recommendations to FDA on REMS Program
• ASA Provides Feedback to FDA on Applications of Morphine Milligram Equivalents
• ASA Provides Input to CDC on Physician Experience Managing Pain, Urges Agency to Update and Revise 2016 Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain
• ASA Member Testifies before US House Committee
• ASA Urges HHS to Act to Assure Patients Access to Safe Pain Care
• ASA Provides Feedback to CMS on Issues Included in the 2022 OPPS Proposed Rule
• FDA Warns about Dental Problems with Buprenorphine Medicines Dissolved in the Mouth to Treat Opioid Use Disorder and Pain
• ASA Submits Comments on CMS’s Proposed Rule for the CY2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule/Quality Payment Program