Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
San Francisco health plans detail programs to curb opioid prescriptions and support treatment
Summary
Aon and four plan representatives told the Health Service System Board that plan-level steps — prior authorization, quantity limits, case management, prescriber outreach, naloxone access and medication-assisted treatment — have reduced opioid prescribing in the plans’ books of business and for SFHSS members.
Paige Seipps Metzler, an Aon consultant, told the Health Service System Board that national and state responses to the opioid crisis are accelerating and that private insurers are already using programmatic levers to reduce risk. "In 2016, the 21st Century Cures Act allocated $1 billion for the opioid crisis," Seipps Metzler said as she set the national context for the board.
Selena Wong, director of clinical pharmacy programs at Blue Shield of California, told the board Blue Shield launched a Narcotic Safety Initiative in 2014 aimed at reducing prescriptions and high‑dose opioid use. "Our goal is to reduce noncancer opioid prescribing by 50% from our 2014 baseline," Wong said, adding that Blue Shield observed a 32% reduction in overall consumption as of the first quarter and a 13% drop in total consumption for the HSS population compared with 2015. She…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
