Pain Management, CDC Guidelines, and CMS Requirements in the Era of the Opioid Crisis

Post-acute and long-term care providers employ many strategies to address the challenge of managing pain, including by treating pain according to current clinical practice guidelines, encouraging safety, and aiming for the best possible outcome for our patients and residents. In addition, providers must remain vigilant by following the regulations in the Requirements of Participation, State Operations Manual (SOM), Appendix PP, and the F tags such as F697 associated with pain management. And, to complicate matters, they must accomplish all this while considering the nuances related to insurance, step therapy, drug formularies, and the multiple Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) prescribing requirements for providers practicing in facilities.