WATCH: Kelly Discusses the Opioid Epidemic among Seniors

This week, during a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing on the opioid epidemic and its impact on older adults, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly highlighted the public health risks of opioid use disorder, Medicare’s role in covering treatment, and the need for seniors to have affordable access to non-opioid alternatives. 

Earlier this month, Senators Kelly and Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced the Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (PAIN) Act to ensure Medicare coverage for non-opioid pain medications and remove financial barriers that push seniors toward opioids at the pharmacy counter. The bill builds on the NO PAIN Act signed into law in 2022, which expanded Medicare reimbursement for non-opioid treatments in hospital settings. 

During the hearing, Kelly heard from experts who reinforced the need for a broader approach to pain management, including ensuring financial barriers do not prevent many seniors from accessing opioid alternatives. Dr. Bradley Stein, Director of the RAND-USC Schaeffer Opioid Policy Center, and Dr. Malik Burnett, an addiction medicine specialist in Baltimore, also highlighted how a lack of coverage for complementary therapies leaves seniors with limited options for managing chronic pain. 

As a member of the Special Committee on Aging and a senator from Arizona—a state where over 17% of the population is 65 or older—Kelly is working to expand access to safer pain management options. Right now, Medicare often covers opioids, but with several non-opioid alternatives in the drug development pipeline, the program must be ready to provide seniors with real options for pain management. Kelly’s bill aims to change that by ensuring seniors can afford safer, non-addictive treatments. 

“I think we can stop addiction before it starts for many of these individuals that wind up in treatment. And I have a bill that would improve access to non-opioid pain medication for seniors who are on Medicare,” said Kelly. “Now my bill would make sure that seniors aren’t paying more for a non-opioid pain reliever than they would pay for an opioid.” 

Click here to download a video of Kelly’s remarks.