Delay treatment for a person addicted to fentanyl or other opioid and that person may die.

And Oregon has built in delays.

Here is one. And Oregon needs to have changed it yesterday.

There are medications for people who are addicted to opioids. They are the most effective treatments. The medications are not a silver bullet. They are close — perhaps silver alloy bullets.

There are a number of drugs, including buprenorphine and naltrexone. Use of such drugs can decrease the probability of death of a patient who is abusing opioids by 50%.

This is not simply moving a person from one drug to another drug. It is about healing the sick. It is about transforming addiction. It is about saving lives.

Insurers have typically required prior authorization before a patient can be treated with these drugs. One one level, that helps insurers confirm that a patient needs the drug. It helps insurers control their costs.

But as we said, delay treatment for a person who is addicted to fentanyl or other opioids and that person may die.

Waiting for prior authorization is a delay. Doctors or other medical personnel may have a narrow window to get a patient treatment.

A low percentage of the people who could benefit from these drugs get access — only about 13%. Prior authorization is not the only reason. It is a reason. It is a reason Oregon legislators could do something about.

Change the law in Oregon. Other states have already done it in reaction to the surge in opioid addiction.

When is Oregon going to do it? Legislators, the 2024 session won’t be soon enough.

You can read more about this issue from the latest testimony before the Legislature’s committee looking into issues around Measure 110. Check out these two links: tinyurl.com/Drugbarrier1 and tinyurl.com/Drugbarrier2. A strong narrative of the problem and where we found many of these facts is here: tinyurl.com/Priorauthorize.