Bill Overview
Title: Supporting Seniors with Opioid Use Disorder Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to conduct additional outreach regarding opioid use disorder treatment services that are covered under Medicare and to collect relevant data on the utilization of such services.
Sponsors: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
Target Audience
Population: seniors globally with opioid use disorder
Estimated Size: 1700000
- Seniors are the primary population eligible for Medicare, so they are directly impacted by this bill.
- Opioid use disorder is a condition that affects a subset of the senior population, particularly those with a history of opioid use for chronic pain.
- The bill aims to improve treatment service utilization for seniors with opioid use disorder.
- The availability and accessibility of healthcare services for seniors might improve, affecting those with opioid dependence.
Reasoning
- Given the budget limitation and scale of the program, not all seniors with opioid use disorder can access expansive services.
- The policy focuses on increasing outreach and data collection which might indirectly improve service quality and awareness.
- Seniors already utilizing Medicare are more likely to be directly impacted by the policy.
- There will likely be a variation in impact based on geographical location, availability of services, and socio-economic status.
- It's important to include those unaffected as a control to see if non-policy factors change wellbeing over time.
Simulated Interviews
Retired teacher (Florida)
Age: 72 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hopeful this new initiative will make it easier for people like me to get the help we need.
- Getting information can be difficult, so more outreach could really help.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired factory worker (Ohio)
Age: 78 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy might make treatment a bit more accessible, but my main concern is consistency of care.
- I hope this is more than just words and actually results in improved services.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Retired nurse (California)
Age: 66 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't think this policy affects me directly, but I'm glad there's attention to this problem.
- My friends who struggle with this could really benefit.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Retired banker (New York)
Age: 83 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 17/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope to see more programs that specifically address pain management alternatives.
- It's tough to navigate the healthcare system at my age.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Retired artist (Texas)
Age: 70 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- There's always fear of relapse, and knowing more support might be available is reassuring.
- Outreach needs to be sensitively done to respect privacy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Retired library assistant (Iowa)
Age: 75 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 19/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm not directly affected, but any help for this problem is good for the community.
- More awareness is needed even in small towns.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Retired mechanic (Michigan)
Age: 69 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The geographic distance from treatment centers concerns me most.
- The policy might bring some information, but real access is more important.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Retired postal worker (Minnesota)
Age: 82 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Understanding and outreach are key, but I won't really be affected personally.
- We should be proactive in our community.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Retired engineer (Arizona)
Age: 64 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- More awareness around Medicare services would be beneficial.
- I think this could help some of my peers significantly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired grocery clerk (Georgia)
Age: 85 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 20/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm worried the budget might not be enough to truly help everyone.
- Coordination of care will need improvement.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $250000000 (Low: $200000000, High: $300000000)
Year 2: $275000000 (Low: $225000000, High: $325000000)
Year 3: $300000000 (Low: $250000000, High: $350000000)
Year 5: $350000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $400000000)
Year 10: $375000000 (Low: $325000000, High: $425000000)
Year 100: $1000000000 (Low: $750000000, High: $1250000000)
Key Considerations
- The effectiveness of outreach efforts in engaging the target population of seniors with opioid use disorder.
- Changes in healthcare policy regarding opioid treatments may alter program costs.
- Uncertainty in the number of seniors currently under-diagnosed or not seeking treatment who, with outreach, might increase service utilization.