Community Meeting Held Over Opioid Crisis Occurring In Colorado
DENVER (CBS4) - Everybody knows how big the prescription drug abuse problem has gotten in Colorado and across the nation. It's why the Department of Regulatory Agencies' (DORA) Division of Professions and Occupations (DPO) hosted a community meeting Tuesday morning.
The goal of the meeting was to open discussions about potential updates to the policy for prescribing and dispensing opioids. DPO is asking health care professionals, patient family members, behavioral health specialists, substance abuse treatment providers, and the public to weigh in on the opioid crisis.
Rob Valuck is the Director of the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse. It's an organization that aims to cut down on prescription drug abuse. Valuck says that begins with educating the people who prescribe and dispense the drugs.
"It took us a long time to get into this mess and it's going to take us a while to get out," Valuck said.
DORA will take the feedback from Tuesday's meeting and apply some of the best practices to the state guideline for prescribing and dispensing opioids.
Valuck says medical professionals are becoming more educated about opioid abuse.
"Dentists know more, not to give as much medicine after a tooth extraction." he said. "Or not to be so quick to give an opioid if someone sprains their knee."
CBS4 met a man who spoke at the meeting whose son is addicted. He didn't offer his name at the podium but says he sent his teenager to Montana for treatment because he was able walk out of treatment centers in Colorado. He wants tougher laws and insurance companies held accountable.
"We've been trying to get claims paid from Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield for over 11 months," said the father whose medical bills are totaling $80,000.
Pain management Dr. Patricia Little also says insurance companies aren't helping with quality of care.
"Third party payers have made it impossible for physicians to spend time with patients. It is an obligatory 40 minutes to talk to patients about addiction," Little said.
While the opioid addiction crisis is complicated, the hope is it can get better with education and better guidelines on prescribing and treatment.
CBS4 also heard from chronic pain patients who say doctors are weening them off medications because of their fear of government policy and losing their licenses.
Jennifer Brice is a reporter with CBS4 focusing on crime and courts. Follow her on Facebook or on Twitter @CBS4Jenn.
