Payers & Insurance Companies

Why Pain Medication Monitoring?

An estimated one in four Americans suffers from chronic pain.¹ It is a primary reason that people seek medical care and a significant driver of health care costs. According to the Federal Drug Administration, more than 21 million opioid pain prescriptions were written in 2007.

However, a recent national study showed that, for a variety of reasons, the majority of pain patients may not be using their pain medication properly.² This pervasive misuse or abuse is due to everything from patients simply choosing not to take their medication to taking too much medication because of inadequate pain control or addiction. While this information and insight is important to treating physicians for the better care of their patients, it’s also critical for payors. The medical costs of misuse and abuse are very high.

• The average patient on chronic opioid therapy (COT) is equal to or greater than $25,000 per year in total medical costs.³
• Patients who certain have no reported abnormalities in their urine drug test have $3,300 in lower costs.³
• A recent study of 2 million insureds found that opiate abusers averaged more than $14,000 in direct costs per patient over non-abusers in physicians visits, outpatient costs, inpatient costs and drug costs.⁴
• Another study concluded that patients who were likely adherent to their prescription regimens (without evidence of potential misuse, diversion or illicit drugs) have 8% to 10% lower medical costs than those who were likely non-adherent.³

Ameritox—The Power to Understand More

As the leading provider of pain medication monitoring,  Ameritox provides insight that helps physicians determine if a patient is taking his or her pain medication correctly. This critical insight and knowledge allows all those involved to make more informed decisions regarding pain management and achieve better outcomes. By achieving better outcomes, payers can lower the costs of managing this “chronic disease.” When patients are taking their medication as prescribed, payers can control—even reduce—costs, optimize patient outcomes and improve the overall quality of chronic pain management for all their members.

To learn how Ameritox pain medication monitoring solutions^SM can help you lower costs while providing more efficient and effective chronic pain management, call our Managed Care Support Team at (888) 494-2165 or email PayerInquiries@Ameritox.com.

The Ameritox Rx Guardian^SM Process

Most urine drug testing simply determines the absence or presence of a drug. The Ameritox Rx Guardian^SM process with Rx Guardian CD^SM is the only urine drug monitoring solution that uses a proprietary normalization algorithm and compares patient results to a comprehensive reference database of pain patients who are clinically assessed as adherent. Comparing patient results against this reference database of chronic pain patients gives payors and clinicians added assurance in assessing whether patients are taking their medications correctly.

Ameritox can help payors better manage outcomes for chronic pain patients. Learn more about:

• The Rx Guardian Process^SM and how it goes beyond standard urine drug testing
• Rx Guardian CD^SM, derived from the most comprehensive reference database of pain patients who are clinically assessed as adherent
• The Rx Guardian^SM results report and how to interpret the report

As a pioneer in pain medication monitoring solutions, only Ameritox offers the comprehensive solutions physicians need to achieve the best possible outcomes. From our superior laboratory services and innovative technologies to our exceptional service and support, we provide the vital information and assurance necessary to manage chronic pain effectively.

Unmatched Support for Physicians and Payers

Ameritox pain medication monitoring solutions^SM have been designed to make urine drug monitoring as easy and efficient as possible for physicians, patients and payers.

Our support is unsurpassed, going far beyond the service offered by traditional labs. We deliver extensive training and support services, resources, tools and reporting—all to bring pain treatment costs under control and improve your chronic pain management programs. For physicians and clinical staff:

• Dedicated Sales Consultants work with physicians and staff to integrate urine drug monitoring into their continuum of chronic pain management.
• Ameritox Online Services^SM bring added efficiency to requisitions and reporting.
• Rx Guardian AutoReminder^SM independently and randomly selects patients for monitoring based on a protocol selected by the practitioner to eliminate guesswork and potential bias.
• Ameritox Practice Profiles^SM provide vital indicators of both patient and practice progress.
• Experienced Ameritox Toxicology Specialists are available for consultation on results.
• Direct billing support is available for patients.

Ameritox also works with payers to maximize the value of pain medication monitoring, and minimize the time required to monitor. We provide:

• A dedicated Ameritox Account Management team for ongoing consultation and administrative support.
• Extensive patient data, customized practice profiles and reports for better pain care management strategies and programs.

Only Ameritox combines expertise, laboratory science and innovation with exceptional service support. It’s a combination that’s proving essential for improving the quality and cost effectiveness of chronic pain management.

Contact Ameritox to discover how pain medication monitoring is improving the quality and cost effectiveness of chronic pain management.