Pa. insurer steps up in opioid fight

Highmark Inc. rolled out two new promising programs to enhance its other ongoing efforts to fight opioids.

Insurance companies, part of the health care industry, don’t often resort to military analogies to tout their initiatives. But Highmark Inc.’s announcement declaring a “war on opioids” seems apt.

The company rolled out two new promising programs to enhance its other ongoing efforts to help drive down the opioid addiction crisis that has claimed so many lives in Pennsylvania and nationwide.

First, Highmark has expanded a pilot program launched in West Virginia in 2016. As the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has reported, Highmark, together with a company called axialHealthcare, analyzed claims data to help identify prescription trends. Based on that analysis, more than 250 West Virginia medical providers received targeted guidance on opioid prescription and pain management.

The initiative led to a 28 percent reduction in patients receiving opioid prescriptions from multiple doctors. And importantly, the number of patients receiving prescriptions for both sedatives and opioids — which can heighten the risk of overdose — dropped by more than 25 percent.

As a second measure, Highmark said it will introduce in March prescription limits for certain members who are prescribed opioids for the first time. The policy is based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data that shows that a person who uses opioids for one day has a 6 percent chance of becoming addicted, while those who use them for more than a week face a 13 percent chance of becoming addicted.

No single strategy will end the opioid epidemic. But the problem began decades ago in doctors’ offices as physicians — acting on drug company assurances that opioids were not addictive — ramped up prescriptions. Any measures to uproot the problem must include efforts to force those prescription rates down and stem the flow of opioids into communities.

Highmark’s new policies dovetail well with recent state reforms, including the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. It is also good business sense. As Highmark indicated, one in 250 of its commercial members were addicted to opioids in 2017. The problem cost members $93 million nationwide.

At last count, 4,642 died of overdoses statewide in 2016 and the number is expected to rise when 2017 statistics are compiled. Problems spurred by addiction cut across all sectors from health care to criminal justice and must be addressed on each front in order to save lives.

Tougher Pa. lobbyist law is a good first step

You just have to appreciate a good first step in the right direction, even if there’s many miles to go.

That’s our feeling about a bill toughening lobbyist disclosure rules that Gov. Tom Wolf signed into law. The measure, among other things, increases the penalties for lobbyists who don’t report their expenditures on time.

Sponsored and championed by Rep. Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster County, with bipartisan from former Rep. Brandon Neuman, D-Westmoreland County, it doubles the fine for violating the lobbying disclosure law to $4,000 (from $2,000), increases the penalty for filing disclosures late, and specifies a strict timeline for filing information.

Baby steps? Yes, but steps in the right direction.

Pennsylvania has as recently as 2015 ranked as low as 45th in “State Integrity.”

The metrics measured in the list compiled by U.S. News included lobbying disclosure, which Cutler’s bill addressed, but also accountability for all three branches, budgeting process, procurement and more.

Giving taxpayers an opportunity to understand where lobbying firms and lobbyists are focused, and on whose behalf, is a good thing. Disclosure is required of principals, lobbying firms & individual lobbyists.

But what about personal gifts to legislators? Who could possibly think, besides the person giving cash and the person receiving cash, is good and proper? What about trips and travel? They are still allowed, as long as they are reported.

And even in this bill, Cutler wanted higher penalties. But he confessed he took what he could get.

There is still more good to do. Much more. Still, this is a good first step, and we applaud it.