Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Boys want to cook for mom and her friend ... New piers offer access at Denman's Whetstone Pond ... Gov. Brown declares state of emergency as Oregon storm damage mounts ... Boys want to cook for mom and her friend ... New piers offer access at Denman's Whetstone Pond ... Gov. Brown declares state of emergency as Oregon storm damage mounts ... OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY Oregon delays change in Medicaid coverage of back pain treatment Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Nov. 25, 2015 at 2:40 PM By The Associated Press Posted Nov. 25, 2015 at 2:40 PM » Social News BEND — The Oregon Health Authority is delaying the rollout of changes to the state's Medicaid program that would allow patients to seek alternatives to painkillers and surgery to cope with back pain. The new coverage policy was slated to take effect Jan. 1, but now will be delayed for an undetermined amount of time, The Bulletin reports. Some fear the delay means there will be less support for doctors who are trying to prescribe prescription painkillers. "It's particularly unfortunate because of the push on opioids," said Dr. Alison Little, medical director for PacificSource Community Solutions. "It's a statewide initiative to get opioid use down. It would be a lot easier if we had these other therapies to direct people to." An Oregon Health Authority spokeswoman said the authority is looking for a way to let the entire package of guidelines on back pain take effect at the same time. Under the new pack-pain coverage policy, Oregon Health Plan patients would be allotted as many as 30 visits a year for alternative therapies, including physical therapy, acupuncture or other treatments. Those alternative treatments can be more e In 2014, the Oregon Health Plan spent $9.5 million on back pain-related surgery and $4.3 million on opioid prescriptions. The delay comes as Central Oregon health care providers are preparing to begin limiting the daily dose of opiate drugs they prescribe. Starting in January, all OHP patients will be limited to the equivalent of 120 milligrams of morphine. Officials say the delay ties into the fact that OHA is adjusting rates for coordinated care organizations. By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Nov. 25, 2015 at 2:40 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501