Bipartisan Bill Aims to Improve Treatment Access for Adults With Chronic Pain

Strategic Insights -

U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Maria Cantwell introduced the "Relief of Chronic Pain Act," a bipartisan legislation that aims to increase access to non-opioid pain management options under Medicaid Part D for adults living with chronic pain. This legislation comes as the opioid crisis continues to affect the nation, with over 60% of drug overdoses in Washington state involving opioids in the last two decades. The bill seeks to address the barriers to effective non-opioid therapies, including waiving deductibles, placing qualifying non-opioids in the lowest cost-sharing tier, and prohibiting step therapy and prior authorization practices.

Key Takeaways:

  • The "Relief of Chronic Pain Act" aims to increase access to non-opioid pain management options under Medicaid Part D for adults living with chronic pain.
  • The bill addresses the barriers to effective non-opioid therapies, including waiving deductibles, placing qualifying non-opioids in the lowest cost-sharing tier, and prohibiting step therapy and prior authorization practices.
  • According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in five adults in the United States lives with chronic pain.
  • Among Medicare beneficiaries, diagnosed opioid use disorder is both among the highest and the fastest-growing in the nation.
  • The opioid crisis remains an active public health emergency, underscoring the ongoing risks of prescription drug addiction.
  • The "Relief of Chronic Pain Act" is backed by Senators Steve Daines and Maria Cantwell, who aim to help ease the burden on those who deal with chronic pain by expanding access to non-opioid therapies.
  • The bill text is available for read HERE.

Statistics:

  • One in five adults in the United States lives with chronic pain (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
  • 50 million adults living with chronic pain experience high-impact chronic pain, limiting productivity (Source: Background information).
  • High-impact chronic pain contributes to $550 billion in direct healthcare costs annually (Source: Background information).
  • Opioid use disorder among Medicare beneficiaries is both among the highest and the fastest-growing in the nation (Source: Background information).
  • Prescription opioid use should not be the first-line treatment for chronic pain, especially for older adults (Source: Background information).
  • The opioid crisis has resulted in over $1.5 trillion in costs in 2020 (Source: Background information).
  • The "Relief of Chronic Pain Act" aims to address the barriers to effective non-opioid therapies by waiving deductibles, placing qualifying non-opioids in the lowest cost-sharing tier, and prohibiting step therapy and prior authorization practices.

Sources:

  • [Source: Daines, S. (2025, October 29). Daines, Cantwell Introduce Bill to Improve Treatment Access for Adults with Chronic Pain. Retrieved from https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/29/daines-cantwell-introduce-bill-to-improve-treatment-access-for-adults-with-chronic-pain/]
  • [Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Chronic Pain. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/chronicpain/ ]