Bipartisan Bill Introduced to Improve Treatment Options for Adults with Chronic Pain

Strategic Insights -

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) in introducing the Relief of Chronic Pain Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at increasing access to non-opioid pain management options for individuals living with chronic pain. The bill comes as over 60% of drug overdoses in Washington state over the last two decades involved opioids, highlighting the need for effective alternative pain relief options.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 50 million adults in the United States live with chronic pain, with almost half experiencing high-impact chronic pain that limits productivity and contributes to over $550 billion in direct healthcare costs annually.
  • Prescription opioids should not be the first-line treatment for chronic pain due to the heightened risks to older adults and the availability of effective alternatives.
  • The Relief of Chronic Pain Act aims to address gaps in Medicare Part D coverage for people with chronic pain by waiving deductibles for qualifying non-opioid pain-management drugs and prohibiting step therapy and prior authorization practices for such drugs.
  • The bill would also place non-opioid pain-management drugs in the lowest cost-sharing tier, ensuring that Medicare beneficiaries have access to these therapies.
  • Senator Cantwell has been addressing the opioid crisis through various legislative solutions, including the Fatal Overdose Reduction Act, the Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act, and the Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act, among others.
  • The Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump, permanently classified illicit fentanyl knockoffs as Schedule I drugs.
  • The FEND Off Fentanyl Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden, will help U.S. government agencies disrupt opioid supply chains by imposing sanctions on traffickers and fighting money laundering.

Statistics:

  • Over 50 million adults in the United States live with chronic pain.
  • Almost half of those with chronic pain experience high-impact chronic pain, limiting productivity and contributing to over $550 billion in direct healthcare costs annually.
  • Opioids were involved in over 60% of drug overdoses in Washington state over the last two decades.
  • Prescription opioids should not be the first-line treatment for chronic pain due to the heightened risks to older adults.
  • The cost of opioid use disorder and overdose exceeded $1.5 trillion in 2020.

Sources:

  • U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell. (2025). Cantwell Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Improve Treatment Options for Adults With Chronic Pain. Retrieved from
  • Office of Senator Maria Cantwell. (2025). Press Release: Cantwell Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Improve Treatment Options for Adults With Chronic Pain. Retrieved from
  • United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell. (2025). Relief of Chronic Pain Act. Retrieved from