Time to Address Opioid Crisis

By Williamson County Sheriff Jeff Diederich

I have worked as a law enforcement officer for over a decade and currently serve as the Williamson County Sheriff. Throughout my career, I have worked hard to protect the communities I serve from harm, enforce the law, and respond to potential threats to our safety and wellbeing. I have witnessed the resilience and strength of our community, but also the profound challenges we face.

One of these challenges is the ongoing opioid crisis, which has overwhelmed our communities and torn apart families. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Prairie State lost over 3,260 people to opioid overdoses in 2022 alone. This heartbreaking fact tells us that this epidemic is a public health and safety emergency that demands our immediate attention.

We need to act fast to break the cycle of addiction that is continuing to claim lives and devastate our communities. That is why I am calling on Illinois’s lawmakers in Washington D.C. to back the Alternatives to Preventing Pain In the Nation (PAIN) Act.

Opioid addiction affects people from all walks of life. However, seniors are particularly susceptible to developing opioid use disorder (OUD) and addiction following surgery or other medical interventions. In Illinois, 37.1 opioid prescriptions were written for every 100 people in 2022. The facts could not be more clear: Curbing the opioid crisis begins with making sure that opioid prescriptions are not the default or the only pain management treatment offered to patients. FDA approved nonopioid treatment options are available and should be made accessible and affordable, especially for seniors.

The Alternatives to PAIN Act would require that these safer alternatives be covered by Medicare Part D so that our seniors can manage their pain without risking addiction. The bill also includes provisions to make sure that seniors do not face obstacles or bureaucratic red tape when trying to get the care they need.

First, the bill recognizes that prior authorization requirements can lead to unnecessary delays in care. To prevent such unnecessary delays, the bill bans the use of prior authorizations for patients seeking to use nonaddictive treatments to manage their pain. The legislation also tackles the cost differences between generic opioids and these newer, safer alternatives by making sure that these nonaddictive options do not cost more than generic opioids. Making these alternatives affordable and accessible means doctors can offer safer treatments and seniors can avoid the risk of addiction.

In law enforcement, we know prevention is always better than intervention. The Alternatives to PAIN Act is prevention in its purest form. By ensuring Medicare provides affordable, accessible non-addictive pain treatments, we're cutting off one source of addiction before it can start.

As a law enforcement officer, I understand the impact that this crisis has had on parents, children, and communities across Williamson County. And I know that we can work together to turn the tide. The Alternatives to PAIN Act represents an opportunity to take a preventative approach to fighting this crisis. I'm calling on Illinois lawmakers to support the Alternatives to PAIN Act. I also urge the Illinois General Assembly to address similar legislation, to expand access to non-opioid pain treatment options, during the lame duck session in January.

This isn't just healthcare legislation. This is a public safety imperative.