Blue Cross of Mass. giving opioid overdose reversal kits to employers
Skip to main content
MDHC_Logotype_white
Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • This Week's News
    • COVID-19
    • Providers
    • Insurance
    • Government
    • Finance
    • Technology
    • Safety & Quality
    • People
    • Regional News
    • Digital Edition
    • Digital health funding hit $7.2B in Q1
      HHS allocates $145 million to health center look-alikes to fight COVID-19
      The Check Up: Kevin Shimamoto
      The Check Up: Kevin Shimamoto of Valley Children's Hospital
      Covid_unit_Beaumont_Dearborn-main_i.jpg
      ER doctors 'manage chaos' amid COVID-19 surge in Michigan
    • HHS allocates $145 million to health center look-alikes to fight COVID-19
      The Check Up: Kevin Shimamoto
      The Check Up: Kevin Shimamoto of Valley Children's Hospital
      Covid_unit_Beaumont_Dearborn-main_i.jpg
      ER doctors 'manage chaos' amid COVID-19 surge in Michigan
      Pandemic propels medical supply companies
    • Some healthcare associations moving full steam ahead with conferences starting in summer
      COVID hospitalizations in Michigan top fall surge; Beaumont seeing nurse 'burnout'
      Calls mount for Biden to track U.S. healthcare worker deaths from COVID
      Front-line workers want more assistance after a year of COVID-19
    • BlueCrossBlueShield_06_03_07_0.jpg
      Blue Cross bosses pocket pay hikes
      UnitedHealthcare sees Q1 profits rise and other key earnings takeaways
      California re-opens enrollment for health insurance coverage
      Insurers are partnering to offload the costs of kidney failure patients
    • HHS allocates $145 million to health center look-alikes to fight COVID-19
      Biden admin throws out Texas Medicaid waiver
      J&J vaccine pause a minor blip, but efforts must press on, experts say
      Effort to keep Arkansas Medicaid plan falls short in state Legislature
    • Private equity's estimated healthcare spending halved in first quarter
      UH reports $54.7M operating income for 2020 despite significant COVID-related costs
      CMS issues new guidance to enforce price transparency rule
      Massachusetts to crack down on highest-cost hospitals, insurers
    • Digital health funding hit $7.2B in Q1
      The Check Up: Kevin Shimamoto
      The Check Up: Kevin Shimamoto of Valley Children's Hospital
      Bright Health scoops up telehealth startup
      FCC to open next round of COVID-19 telehealth program applications
    • Michigan expands antibody treatment to cut hospitalizations
      J&J vaccine pause a minor blip, but efforts must press on, experts say
      A year into pandemic, federal officials design new mask guidelines to better protect more workers
      FDA pauses enforcement of in-person dispensing requirement for abortion pill
    • Oscar names new virtual-first care division president
      Redfield joins Big Ass Fans, which promotes controversial COVID-killing technology
      Next Up Podcast: Modern Healthcare's editor Aurora Aguilar talks new content direction
      Novant Health adds chief payor performance officer
    • Midwest
    • Northeast
    • South
    • West
  • Insights
    • ACA 10 Years After
    • Best Practices
    • Special Reports
    • Innovations
    • The Affordable Care Act after 10 years
    • A close-up of a woman receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
      Providers in underserved communities work toward equitable vaccine distribution
      Josh Bradshaw
      How one rural Illinois county vaccinated 84% of its senior citizens by early March
      Dr. John Fischer
      Patient-reported outcomes tool for hernia surgery helps physicians improve care
      New care model helps primary-care practices treat obesity
    • A family photo of the the Hangens.
      Stressing the already burdened pediatric behavioral health system
      Jennifer Pannone and her daughter Victoria.
      Mental health access for children needs attention
      What's next for on-demand telehealth companies?
      A CalOptima PACE vaccination clinic.
      Will COVID-19 be the catalyst for creating a more sustainable healthcare system?
    • Ryan McGinnis
      Finding efficiencies in the OR using tech
      Dr. Daniel Hall
      UPMC pilots machine learning, telehealth to inform patient transfers
      A woman being recorded using her inhaler on a smartphone.
      Digital check-ins, connected inhalers help control asthma
      A phone screen showing the question, "Mary we hope this information was helpful and we'd like to keep guiding you. Are you interested in knowing when it's your turn to receive the vaccine?"
      Chatbots, texting campaigns help manage influx of COVID vax questions
  • Transformation
    • Patients
    • Operations
    • Care Delivery
    • Payment
    • Mayo Clinic launches two tech companies
      Diabetes patients at high risk for COVID-19 are managing conditions more effectively
      Nearly 1 in 5 Americans skipped care due to cost last year
      COVID-19 long-haulers need holistic treatment, providers say
    • Amazon gives out $12M under next phase of AWS diagnostics development initiative
      Malpractice premiums peak in 2020, AMA survey shows
      A rendering of a cancer research institute at the University of Southern California that will include 5G.
      Healthcare providers determine how to best use ultrafast 5G
      Two-thirds of largest hospitals aren't complying with price transparency rule
    • Hospitals face specialty pharmacy challenges with insurer competition
      Addressing long-standing barriers needed for mental and physical health integration
      A close-up of a woman receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
      Providers in underserved communities work toward equitable vaccine distribution
      The waiting room of a Kaiser Permanente clinic at a Target location.
      Health systems revamp their approach to retail clinics
    • Payers, providers clash over telehealth reimbursement as Congress mulls changes
      When money talks. Why cash pay is becoming more popular
      CMS wants to bump pay for hospices, SNFs next year
      CMMI pauses new Direct Contracting model applications
  • Data/Lists
    • Rankings/Lists
    • Interactive Databases
    • Data Points
    • Health Systems Financials
      Executive Compensation
      Physician Compensation
  • Op-Ed
    • Bold Moves
    • Breaking Bias
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Vital Signs Blog
    • From the Editor
    • Dr. Alan Kaplan
      The risks, rewards of taking organizations 'where they haven’t gone before'
      Wellstar CEO calls adapting for the pandemic her bold move
      Howard P. Kern
      Recognizing the value of telehealth in its infancy
      Dr. Stephen Markovich
      A bold move helped take him from family doctor to OhioHealth CEO
    • Drs. Hal Paz and Joshua J. Joseph
      Mobilized to fight the COVID crisis: a blueprint for community and academic partnerships
      Dr. Stephen Markovich
      Making sure we're aligned along the path to achieving inclusion
      Barry Ostrowsky
      Ending racism is a journey taken together; the starting point must be now
      Laura Lee Hall and Gary Puckrein
      Increased flu vaccination has never been more important for communities of color
    • It's time we fulfill the ACA's promise to broaden access to lower-cost drugs
      Five lessons for securing our children's future
      We're losing engaged providers, and healthcare will pay the price
      Bonnie Castillo and John Welton
      Dueling opinions: The role of mandated nurse staffing ratios
    • Letters: Eliminating bias in healthcare needs to be ‘deliberate and organic’
      Letters: Maybe dropping out of ACOs is a good thing for patients
      Letters: White House and Congress share blame for lack of national COVID strategy
      Letters: VA making strides to improve state veterans home inspections
    • Sponsored Content Provided By Optum
      How blockchain could ease frustration with the payment process
      Sponsored Content Provided By Optum
      Three steps to better data-sharing for payer and provider CIOs
      Sponsored Content Provided By Optum
      Reduce total cost of care: 6 reasons why providers and payers should tackle the challenge together
      Sponsored Content Provided By Optum
      Why CIOs went from back-office operators to mission-critical innovators
  • Awards
    • Award Programs
    • Nominate
    • Previous Award Programs
    • Other Award Programs
    • Nominations Open - Top 25 Innovators
      Nominations Open May 10 - Top 25 Minority Leaders
      Nominations Open May 24 - Top 25 Emerging Leaders
    • 100 Most Influential People
    • 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives
    • Best Places to Work in Healthcare
    • Health Care Hall of Fame
    • Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards
    • Top 25 Emerging Leaders
    • Top 25 Innovators
    • Minorities in Healthcare
      • - Luminaries
      • - Top 25 Minority Leaders
      • - Minorities to Watch
    • Women in Healthcare
      • - Luminaries
      • - Top 25 Women Leaders
      • - Women to Watch
    • Excellence in Nursing Awards
    • Design Awards
    • Top 25 COOs in Healthcare
    • 100 Top Hospitals
    • ACHE Awards
  • Events
    • Conferences
    • Galas
    • Webinars
    • COVID-19 Event Tracker
    • emburse certify modern healthcare custom media webinar logo lockup
      Sponsored Content Provided By Emburse
      Webinar: Making it easy to manage costs
      virtualmed staff modern healthcare custom media logo lockup
      Sponsored Content Provided By VirtualMed Staff
      Webinar: Best practices for creating a successful telepsychiatry program
      telehealth visit man touching neck while speaking to doctor on computer
      Sponsored Content Provided By Accumen
      Webinar: How telehealth has evolved into a standard of care
      modern healthcare custom media and trimedx custom webinar logo lockup
      Sponsored Content Provided By TRIMEDX
      Webinar: Bridging the gap between clinicians and administration to improve capital equipment planning
    • Women Leaders in Healthcare Conference
    • Social Determinants of Health Symposium
    • Healthcare Transformation Summit
    • Leadership Symposium
    • Virtual Briefings
      • - Hospital of the Future
      • - Mental Health
      • - Patient Safety & Quality
      • - Strategic Marketing
      • - Virtual Health
      • - Workplace of the Future
    • Best Places to Work Awards Gala
    • Health Care Hall of Fame Gala
    • Top 25 Minority Leaders Gala
    • Top 25 Women Leaders Gala
  • Listen
    • Podcast - Next Up
    • Podcast - Beyond the Byline
    • Sponsored Podcast - Healthcare Insider
    • Video Series - The Check Up
    • Sponsored Video Series - One on One
    • Next Up Podcast: Managing the COVID-19 vaccination rollout with Dr. Gary Little
      Next Up Podcast: Modern Healthcare's editor Aurora Aguilar talks new content direction
      Dr. Chris DeRienzo
      Next Up Podcast: Building team spirit in the wake of COVID-19
      Mikelle Moore
      Next Up Podcast: Mikelle Moore on recognizing all hospital workers during the pandemic
    • Beyond the Byline: Kids' unchecked mental health needs pose long-term consequences
      Beyond the Byline: How COVID-19 has impacted hospital finances
      An older man sitting on a hospital bed with his back toward the camera.
      Beyond the Byline: Upcoding could explain why hospitals are increasingly billing for the most complex treatment
      Beyond the Byline: Insurers are betting on virtual-first plans as COVID-19 shifts care pathways
    • James garvert neustar healthcare insider podcast image
      Building on basics
      Healthcare Insider Podcast Episode Art - Premier
      Why Roger Weems and other consultants are leaving the big firms to join Premier
      James garvert neustar healthcare insider podcast image
      Outreach during COVID-19
      ann barnes healthcare insider podcast image
      Leading with intention to promote diversity and inclusion
    • The Check Up: Kevin Shimamoto
      The Check Up: Kevin Shimamoto of Valley Children's Hospital
      The Check Up: Dr. James E.K. Hildreth
      The Check Up: Dr. James E.K. Hildreth of Meharry Medical College
      The Check Up: Matt Eyles
      The Check Up: Matt Eyles of AHIP
      The Check Up: Dr. Tom Shanley
      The Check Up: Dr. Tom Shanley of Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
    • ivana naeymi-rad one on one intelligent medical objects
      Video: Ivana Naeymi Rad of Intelligent Medical Objects
  • MORE +
    • Advertise
    • Media Kit
    • Newsletters
    • Jobs
    • People on the Move
    • Reprints & Licensing
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Government
October 04, 2018 01:00 AM

Blue Cross of Mass. giving opioid overdose reversal kits to employers

Tara Bannow
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Opioid-overdose reversal kit

    When Dr. Ken Duckworth learned that librarians in Philadelphia were administering opioid overdose reversal drugs, it got him thinking: Why not us?

    Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, where Duckworth serves as medical director for behavioral health, had already sought to make prescribing and treatment more accessible and had invested in educational programming on opioid use, but the insurer is now working to help the people those measures don't reach. The insurance giant is the first health plan in the state to give opioid overdose reversal toolkits to five large employers, including its own employees, through a test that could ultimately extend to all employers it covers.

    "This is an underutilized tool in the war we face with opiates," Duckworth told Modern Healthcare.

    Massachusetts has been hard hit by the opioid epidemic. The state saw 1,909 opioid-related deaths last year, and another 657 deaths in the first six months of 2018. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams in April urged more Americans to keep naloxone on hand.

    The employers included are Shawmut Construction, a union called the New England Regional Council of Carpenters, the city of Brockton and the town of Ware. Blue Cross itself will comprise a significant part of the program, with 3,700 employees.

    Because of their propensity to suffer on-the-job injuries that lead to opioid prescriptions, construction and extraction workers comprise 24% of opioid-related deaths among the state's working population, according to an August report from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Allison Gifford, a spokeswoman for Shawmut Construction, wrote in an email that the company does not have an issue with opioid abuse and has never had an overdose on site.

    "But we recognize we would be remiss to not add these toolkits as a part of our robust safety preparedness protocols," she said. "Right now they are in our offices and we plan to roll them out to our larger jobsites."

    Seventy people died of opioid-related overdoses in Brockton, a city of roughly 96,000 people, in 2017 alone, according to the state's Department of Public Health, the third highest of all 351 cities and towns in the state last year. City representatives were not available for comment.

    Ware, a town of about 10,000 people, saw five overdose deaths in 2017 and double that in 2016. Town Manager Stuart Beckley plans to keep the kits in parks, town hall, the senior center and the library. Ware had an overdose death in a park a few years ago, a tragic event Beckley believes employees will be able to prevent once they know how to recognize the symptoms of overdoses and can administer Narcan.

    "Certainly there could be saves in the future by our own employees," he said.

    Each employer in the program will receive kits containing two doses of the opioid overdose reversal drug, Narcan, the only FDA-approved form of naloxone in nasal spray form. Naloxone is also available in injectable versions, but Narcan is favored in many cases because it's widely considered to be easier to use and less intimidating than using a needle. The kits will also have a surgical mask, gloves and instructions for administering Narcan.

    Blue Cross plans to work with each employer to learn how they could best use the kits. Municipalities will likely wish to keep them stocked at libraries, parks, pools and other public areas. Employees will also receive training on reversing opioid overdoses.

    Duckworth said he's trying not to place restrictions on how employers want to use the kits, even if that means letting some employees take them home or keep them in their cars. Employers will also decide which employees receive training on how to use Narcan. Blue Cross has 800 kits ready for the pilot, but it's not yet clear how many will be used.

    The pilot intends to focus beyond public spaces, emphasizing office settings too, such as Blue Cross' own offices. Duckworth said one of the employers involved in the pilot program had an overdose in one of their offices, although he couldn't say which one.

    "Their staff was extremely traumatized by this," he said. "They basically said, 'We wish we had this a year ago.'"

    A new Blue Cross survey found 70% of Massachusetts residents believe Narcan should be widely available in workplaces, similar to automated external defibrillators.

    Before launching the pilot, Blue Cross conducted 507 interviews with consumers, half of whom had personal experiences with opioid addiction through family members or friends. The interviews yielded tips such as keeping the kits small—the size of a makeup kit rather than a toolbox. People also indicated they wanted the kits to include gloves, and that the kits shouldn't be black, like they were originally. Now they're royal blue.

    Blue Cross' news comes as the American Medical Association issued a call Thursday for state and federal legislators to enforce the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, signed into law in 2008, to help end the opioid epidemic. They said insurers need to be held accountable for complying with their legal obligations.

    On that front, Duckworth said Blue Cross has taken a number of steps to increase access to addiction treatment, such as eliminating copayments and deductibles for methadone, a medication used to treat opioid addiction. The carrier also eliminated the requirement for notification when patients are transferred from emergency rooms to addiction treatment facilities and psychiatric hospitals. Duckworth said members are free to seek outpatient mental health services without prior authorization.

    "We welcome that law and I think we've done a pretty good job of removing barriers here," he said.

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Send us a letter

    Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print.

    Recommended for You
    More than a dozen states to open vaccines to all adults
    More than a dozen states to open vaccines to all adults
    Becerra visits Nevada, stumps for pandemic aid and Obamacare
    Becerra visits Nevada, stumps for pandemic aid and Obamacare
    Sponsored Content
    Get Newsletters

    Sign up for enewsletters and alerts to receive breaking news and in-depth coverage of healthcare events and trends, as they happen, right to your inbox.

    Subscribe Today
    MH Magazine Cover

    MH magazine offers content that sheds light on healthcare leaders’ complex choices and touch points—from strategy, governance, leadership development and finance to operations, clinical care, and marketing.

    Subscribe
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS
    • Instagram

    Our Mission

    Modern Healthcare empowers industry leaders to succeed by providing unbiased reporting of the news, insights, analysis and data.

    MDHC_Logotype_white
    Contact Us

    (877) 812-1581

    Email us

     

    Resources
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with Us
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Editorial Dept
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Code of Ethics
    • Awards
    • About Us
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Modern Healthcare
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • This Week's News
      • COVID-19
      • Providers
      • Insurance
      • Government
      • Finance
      • Technology
      • Safety & Quality
      • People
      • Regional News
        • Midwest
        • Northeast
        • South
        • West
      • Digital Edition
    • Insights
      • ACA 10 Years After
      • Best Practices
      • Special Reports
      • Innovations
    • Transformation
      • Patients
      • Operations
      • Care Delivery
      • Payment
    • Data/Lists
      • Rankings/Lists
      • Interactive Databases
      • Data Points
    • Op-Ed
      • Bold Moves
      • Breaking Bias
      • Commentaries
      • Letters
      • Vital Signs Blog
      • From the Editor
    • Awards
      • Award Programs
        • 100 Most Influential People
        • 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives
        • Best Places to Work in Healthcare
        • Health Care Hall of Fame
        • Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards
        • Top 25 Emerging Leaders
        • Top 25 Innovators
        • Minorities in Healthcare
          • - Luminaries
          • - Top 25 Minority Leaders
          • - Minorities to Watch
        • Women in Healthcare
          • - Luminaries
          • - Top 25 Women Leaders
          • - Women to Watch
      • Nominate
      • Previous Award Programs
        • Excellence in Nursing Awards
        • Design Awards
        • Top 25 COOs in Healthcare
      • Other Award Programs
        • 100 Top Hospitals
        • ACHE Awards
    • Events
      • Conferences
        • Women Leaders in Healthcare Conference
        • Social Determinants of Health Symposium
        • Healthcare Transformation Summit
        • Leadership Symposium
        • Virtual Briefings
          • - Hospital of the Future
          • - Mental Health
          • - Patient Safety & Quality
          • - Strategic Marketing
          • - Virtual Health
          • - Workplace of the Future
      • Galas
        • Best Places to Work Awards Gala
        • Health Care Hall of Fame Gala
        • Top 25 Minority Leaders Gala
        • Top 25 Women Leaders Gala
      • Webinars
      • COVID-19 Event Tracker
    • Listen
      • Podcast - Next Up
      • Podcast - Beyond the Byline
      • Sponsored Podcast - Healthcare Insider
      • Video Series - The Check Up
      • Sponsored Video Series - One on One
    • MORE +
      • Advertise
      • Media Kit
      • Newsletters
      • Jobs
      • People on the Move
      • Reprints & Licensing