Pain Health Policy Brief

Abstract

Pain is a very common complaint from patients that physicians encounter in their office and hospital practice. Access to pain care is a problem in the United States. Chronic pain is a major health care concern and the cost of inadequate pain control is enormous. There are many barriers to appropriate pain care in the United States. The US House of Representatives passed H.R.756, which seeks to identify the problems with pain access and address the issues. The senate bill, S.660, which addresses these pain care barriers, is currently being debated on the Senate floor. The goal of S.660 is to standardize pain care access, quality, and treatment through research and a collaborative approach to pain care. Section 660 places an emphasis on medical education to get involved in teaching physicians to recognize and appropriately treat pain.