Dr. Miller-Meeks' Bipartisan Alternatives to PAIN Act Surpasses 100 Cosponsors

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (IA-01) today celebrated a major milestone for her bipartisan Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (PAIN) Act (H.R. 1227), which has surpassed 100 cosponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives. The achievement reflects broad, bipartisan agreement that preventing opioid addiction must begin before the first prescription is written.

The Alternatives to PAIN Act would expand access to FDA-approved non-opioid pain management therapies for Medicare Part D beneficiaries. It addresses unnecessary coverage barriers, such as high cost-sharing, prior authorization, and step therapy requirements, that too often limit patient choice and steer seniors toward prescription opioids for acute pain following an accident, injury, or surgery.

"This bill is gaining real momentum because it puts patients over politics," said Dr. Miller-Meeks. "With more than 100 cosponsors and rising, now is the time for Congress to act. Let us get this across the finish line and deliver real help to the millions of Americans suffering from pain."

The milestone comes as Congress continues to examine solutions to the opioid crisis, which still claims more than 120 American lives every single day. In March, the bill was included in a House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee legislative hearing focused on protecting communities from illicit drug threats, where members from both sides of the aisle voiced their support.

The legislation has earned strong support from patient advocates and prevention organizations across the country. Voices for Non-Opioid Choices, a nonpartisan coalition of more than 20,000 advocates and over 300 member organizations nationwide, has been a leading champion of the bill.

"Reaching 100 cosponsors sends a clear message: Congress understands that preventing opioid addiction must begin before the first prescription is written," said Chris Fox, Executive Director of Voices for Non-Opioid Choices. "Families in every state have felt the heartbreak of the opioid crisis, and we cannot afford to keep treating prevention as an afterthought."

Reintroduced in the 119th Congress by Dr. Miller-Meeks alongside Reps. Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Mike Kelly (R-PA), and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), the legislation reflects a shared, cross-party commitment to prevention-focused solutions. It has also been introduced in the Senate as S. 475.

With overdose deaths continuing to devastate communities nationwide, Dr. Miller-Meeks is calling on House leadership and the committees of jurisdiction to move the Alternatives to PAIN Act forward without delay.

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