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Heroin addiction will be attacked.
The Heroin and Opioids Task Force together with the initiative of Governor Andrew Cuomo decided to take active measures against the problem of heroin addiction.
After 25 recommendations were gathered from New York citizens and parents, New York officials came up with a plan to tackle opioid excess and increase support for people who need medical assistance and funding to deal with heroin addiction.
Among one of the most important ones will be the extended access to naloxone, a life-saving overdose-reversal medication. Furthermore, family members will have insurance coverage and will benefit from the help of licensed experts to inject the medication or spray it in the victim’s nostrils in the case of a life-or-death situation.
Moreover, consumers will be better informed and educated by pharmacists regarding heroin addiction, palliative care, pain management and the risks or side-effects of opioid consumption.
In addition to this, patients will be provided with only a 7-day supply of painkillers compared to the previous 30 days. However, in the case of chronic pains and other serious health conditions, an exception could be made.
It is also worth mentioning that the number of program slots and treatment beds will increase regarding substance use disorder in New York. Plus, insurers will be mandated to use objective criteria approved by the state regarding the coverage determinations for inpatient treatment.
Therefore, there will be no insurance barriers to this treatment because prior approval for necessary medical care will no longer be required. However, this rule applies only as long as the inpatient treatment is necessary.
According to Dr. Howard Zuker, Health Commissioner, the secret of wiping out the heroin plague lies in a relentless charge from various directions. The Opioid Task Force mission is to save more lives and to stop the spread of this vicious epidemic.
Plus, Zucker believes that if people are prevented from becoming the prey of addiction, the only problem left will be to help those that need treatment and support to recover from this heroin excess. Furthermore, the officials aim to make the opioid drugs available only by prescription. This way, people will no longer have such easy access to these painkillers.
Hopefully, their combined effort will pay off in the battle against heroin addiction that takes so many lives every year.
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