A Doctors Dilemma
The FDA now requires all new controlled prescription pain relievers to have abuse deterrent properties to try to prevent people from altering & abusing the drug. The FDA & pharmaceutical industry are moving in the right direction with these new safer formulations.
There has been pressure placed upon medical insurance companies to cover these new safer formulations. And some of the insurers are covering these new drugs now which is good.
The dilemma though for the physician who prescribes these safer formulations is that most insurances cover very few or none of these formulations. (Or the copay is so high the patient still cannot afford to get the safer formulation.) So approximately 75% of all patients are still being prescribed generic controlled medications for chronic pain with no abuse deterrent properties because the safer alternative is not covered or not affordable.
As a group, doctors want to responsibly prescribe these safer drug formulations for all patients who need these type meds for chronic pain, but in reality doctors need these new safer drug formulations covered by ALL medical insurance companies at a reasonable copay to do so.