Less addictive pain drugs may be harder to get and more expensive

[ucbalumnus]

https://www.propublica.org/article/insurers-limit-coverage-of-pricey-less-addictive-painkillers

@Katie Thomas and Charles Ornstein

At a time when the United States is in the grip of an opioid epidemic, many insurers are limiting access to pain medications that carry a lower risk of addiction or dependence, even as they provide comparatively easy access to generic opioid medications.

The reason, experts say: Opioid drugs are generally cheap while safer alternatives are often more expensive.

[Jugulator20]

Is this any surprise when the system is built on making profit, patient care ends up getting lip service.

[romanigypsyeyes]

My most expensive out of pocket medicine was Lyrica. I stopped taking it because of the OOP cost and because I don’t think it was doing anything.

[VaBluebird]

Tramadol didn’t work for my husband at all. Zilch relief.