Opioid Outreach and Evidence-Based Treatment
As the human and financial toll of opioid addiction continues to rise, we are committed to fighting this epidemic through a combination of outreach, prevention, and treatment programs. We want to not only understand the underlying causes of opioid use, but also treat those who are already addicted and prevent new addictions.
Members
With the help of our providers, we educate our members about the risks of opioid use and urge them to:
- Lock all medications in a safe place away from children. Get medical attention for any accidental ingestion (known or suspected).
- Remove or return medicines that are no longer needed. Check the label for safe disposal options. Keep track of pill counts in open containers and be aware if any pills go missing.
- Learn the risk and protective factors that contribute to substance use disorders.1
- Join one of our opioid addiction treatment care management programs, if needed. Through a combination of counseling and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), these programs provide personal, specialized care that helps to destigmatize addiction and offers physical and mental health support.
Pharmacies
As a frequent point of contact between patients and other providers, pharmacists have a unique role in identifying and preventing opioid misuse. We work with pharmacists to:
- Implement prescribing limits (for both supply and dosage) on opioid medications as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and our state partners.
- Use analytics to detect inappropriate prescribing or usage patterns.
- Identify members receiving opioids from multiple prescribers and refer them to treatment as needed.
Providers
Because providers treat patients and prescribe medications, they play a crucial part in talking to their patients about the dangers of opioids, prescribing responsibly, and identifying abuse. We encourage them to:
- Consider alternative pain treatment options. Opioid drugs should not necessarily be the default treatment. Discuss all possible treatment options and their benefits and risks with patients.
- Prescribe opioids at the lowest effective dosage when they are necessary.
- Meet with patients again within one to four weeks after starting opioid therapy for chronic pain or after a dosage increase. Clinicians should evaluate benefits and harms of continued therapy with patients every three months or more frequently.2
Learn how AmeriHealth Caritas is addressing opioid use disorder through our comprehensive Opioid Blueprint, designed to meet the unique needs and challenges of our members.
Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD)
MOUD is one of the key methods used to treat opioid use disorder. This treatment is an evidence-based approach that uses Food and Drug Administration-approved medications like buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone microspheres.
These medications operate to normalize brain chemistry. They block the euphoric effects of alcohol and opioids, relieve physiological cravings, and normalize body functions — without the negative and euphoric effects of the substance used. These medications are safe to use for months, years, or even a lifetime, but as with any medication, we advise consulting with a physician before discontinuing use.3
While MOUD is only one component of a successful treatment program — counseling and community support should always be included as well — MOUD is instrumental in helping us address opioid use disorder. You can learn more about medications for opioid use disorder on SAMHSA’s website.
- “Risk and Protective Factors,” Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/20190718-samhsa-risk-protective-factors.pdf
- “SAMHSA Opioid Overdose Prevention Toolkit: Information for Prescribers,” Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2018, https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/d7/priv/information-for-prescribers.pdf
- “Medications for Substance Use Disorders,” Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, July 31, 2023, https://www.samhsa.gov/medications-substance-use-disorders
