Coalitions across the country are taking action to support employers as they address the significant issues involved in managing pain in their covered populations. Here is an overview of some key activities.

• Kentuckiana Health Collaborative: Launched a comprehensive toolkit, Opioids in the Workplace, to provide employers with the tools and resources needed to support employees and family members who face challenges related to opioid and substance misuse and disorders.

• Florida Alliance for Healthcare Value: Launched the statewide “Better Pain Management Collaborative” to support employers with strategies to reduce opioid use
  • Simple Definitions and Evolution of Terminology- Bundles vs Episodes of Care (EOC)
  • Opioid Misuse: What Can Employers Do?
  • Pain and Health Matter
• Webinars from May and September 2017 meetings of the Collaborative
• Consumer resource for help educating employees about non-opioid options when having surgery: Plan Against Pain

• HealthCare 21 Business Coalition: 
• Best Practices: Managing Opioid
• Employer Pain Survey Summary

• Washington Health Alliance: Issued a call to action with The Dr. Robert Bree Collaborative in January 2017, urging providers and health plans in Washington state to address the opioid epidemic, starting with opioid prescribing for acute, short-term pain.
• More Information:
• Call to action for health care systems
• Call to action for health insurance plans
• Opioid Prescribing Guidelines for Providers (fact sheet)
• Opioid Medication & Pain: What You Need to Know (fact sheet)
• Alliance report highlighting opioid prescribing patterns in Washington state

• National Business Group on Health
• National Business Group on Health issues new recommendations for pushing PBMs on opioids, June 2018
• Employers Take Steps to Address Opioid Crisis (SHRM article that includes related results from NBGH’s Large ER 2018 Health Care Strategy and Plan Design Survey)

• National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions 
• Employer Action Brief: Opioid Alternatives - Preventing Opioid Dependence With Pain Management Alternatives
• 2017 Webinar: The Opioid Crisis – New Approaches to Measure its Impact, Mobilize Our Response (speakers from University of Chicago, National Safety Council)
• 2017 Webinar: Strategies to Address the Opioid Crisis – Insights from A National Summit