Doctors worry about consequences from Ducey’s opioid plan
Jan 24, 2018, 5:05 AM | Updated: 12:21 pm
(Flickr/Eric Norris)
(Flickr/Eric Norris)
PHOENIX — Two groups representing doctors in Arizona said they support Gov. Doug Ducey’s effort to address the state’s opioid epidemic but have some concerns.
In a recent letter to the Arizona Department of Health Services, the Arizona Medical Association and the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association said they worry about the “unintended consequences” that Ducey’s proposed legislation to combat the state’s opioid epidemic could have on patients.
The governor is proposing a number of bills, including arrest protections for people who call for help for an overdose and $10 million to help uninsured people receive addiction treatment.
Ducey is also proposing a bill to prevent doctors from prescribing more than an initial five days’ worth of pain medication, and that has the two doctors groups concerned.
“We have serious concerns about unintended consequences of broadly applying a five-day limit to all patients,” the groups stated in the letter. “In order to avoid harm to vulnerable patients, we must develop a comprehensive list of exemptions for conditions and situations.”
Under Ducey’s proposed legislation, the five-day limit would not apply to people suffering from chronic pain who are already working with their physician on a pain management program. Cancer patients, those who experience a traumatic injury, surgery patients and patients in hospice care are also among the exemptions to the five-day rule.
The two doctors groups also said they “strongly oppose putting any kind of dose-strength limitation in state law.” Ducey wants to limit the opioid dose levels to a maximum dosage of 90 morphine milligram equivalents per day for most patients.
“Every patient is unique and there is no universally accepted threshold for what is acceptable for every situation,” the groups explained. “Some complex pain patients can be properly cared for and managed by appropriate providers with higher dosages that allow them to manage pain and be active members of society and our economy.”
State lawmakers are considering these and other bills to address the state’s opioid epidemic this week. It is part of a special session Ducey called to deal with the crisis.
