Dr. Cheryl D George

Rethink Pain Care Incentives
Health insurance incentives helped steer chronic pain patients toward opioids, an overlooked factor in the ongoing opioid crisis.
One plan example: generic meds cost $10/mo, while physical therapy costs $50 per session after deductibles.
Weekly physical therapy totals $200/mo, ~20x the drug cost, making opioids the cheaper, easier option.
Non-drug options like acupuncture can require time, transportation, and childcare, and may not be covered at all.
Non-drug treatments carry lower risks, can offer lasting benefits, and acupuncture eased sciatica pain for 1 yr.
Despite a decade of deprescribing, opioids remain a predominant chronic pain treatment, reinforcing the need to change coverage incentives.
I’m seeing how insurance coverage can unintentionally push people with chronic pain toward opioids by making non-drug care harder to access. Better incentives could support safer, longer-lasting treatments like therapy and acupuncture.

Insurers Should Incentivize Non-Drug Pain Treatments

Part B Premiums >$200
In 2026, the standard Medicare Part B premium reached $202.90 monthly, crossing $200 for the first time.
Because Part B is often deducted from Social Security, premium hikes immediately shrink retirees’ monthly take-home benefits.
Other 2026 Medicare costs also ↑: Part B deductible $283; Part A hospital deductible $1,736 per stay; higher coinsurance.
Higher-income retirees face income-related surcharges, pushing monthly Part B premiums above standard, ranging $284.10-$689.90.
Social Security’s avg. ~$56 monthly COLA was partly offset as Part B premiums ↑$17.90, limiting net gains.
I’m seeing Medicare costs take a bigger bite out of retirement income, especially when premiums are deducted from Social Security. Even small increases can reduce take-home benefits and strain fixed budgets over time.