Aetna Lowers Hurdle for Opioid Addiction Treatment

(Summer 2017) As of March, Aetna became the third health insurance company to drop preauthorization for opioid addiction treatment on commercial plans. The insurer joins Cigna and Anthem in this move. The other two companies revised their procedures when confronted by New York State’s Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who accused that the companies’ policies may be unjustly preventing customers from accessing treatment.

In situations where preauthorization for opioid addiction treatment drugs such as Suboxone is required, it may take hours or even days for the prescription to be filled. Unfortunately, many opioid-addicted individuals who seek treatment and do not receive it immediately often do not pursue it further.

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