Pew Urges Senate to Help Address Prescription Drug Abuse Epidemic

In testimony before the Senate Committee on Finance, Allan Coukell, senior director for health programs at The Pew Charitable Trusts, thanked Senators Pat Toomey (R-PA), Rob Portman (R-OH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) for their leadership in addressing prescription drug abuse by introducing the Stopping Medication Abuse and Protecting Seniors Act of 2015. The legislation would extend the use of patient review and restriction programs to Medicare as a way to identify individuals at risk of overdose from prescription pain relievers and ensure they receive coordinated care.