Episode 25: Scenes from a Webinar: How Employers are Combating the Opioid Epidemic

American Benefits Podcast

On average in the United States, 115 people die each day from an opioid overdose. As this epidemic has touched workers, employers have sought to address it through innovative plan design and outreach. Meanwhile, Congress is poised to enact legislation designed to stem the tide of opioid abuse and addiction. Earlier this year, the American Benefits Council, in partnership with the Midwest Business Group on Health (MBGH), hosted a webinar in which we discussed the efforts and challenges for employers working to make a difference in this area. In this week’s edition of the American Benefits Podcast, we share the audio from that webinar, which is normally provided for Council members only. The webinar featured moderators Kathryn Wilber, American Benefits Council senior counsel, health policy, and Cheryl Larson, MBGH president and CEO, as well as guest speakers Dr. William Lopez, senior medical director-behavioral health at Cigna Healthcare, [12:42] talking about insurer initiatives to improve plan design and treatment strategies; Jason Parrott, manager of healthcare strategy & policy for The Boeing Company, [23:51] recounting his company’s efforts to that maintain quality of care while ensuring tighter controls for dosing and quantity limits; and Sarah Bassler Millar, partner with Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, [44:56] describing the legislative, regulatory and legal landscape surrounding these issues. To participate in future webinars, consider joining the American Benefits Council, which offers programs like these at no charge as part of the member company’s annual investment.

Resources:

• Benefits Briefing Presentation Slides: How Employers are Combating the Opioid Epidemic
• On the Front Lines: How Employers Are Working to Combat the Opioid Epidemic
• Resources for Employers: Combating the Opioid Epidemic
• Midwest Business Group on Health Employer Toolkit: Addressing Pain Management & Opioid Use/Abuse