On May 6, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new Chronic Pain Experience Journey Map which was developed to highlight the barriers to care experienced by chronic pain patients, how these barriers impact their quality of care and quality of life, and the various influences on providers. The map is one component of the Administration’s broader overdose prevention strategy, aligning with important provisions of ASA-supported legislation, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act. This work leverages input from stakeholders and other federal agencies to implement the Dr. Todd Graham Pain Management Study Act, in which ASA was pleased to submit formal comments to CMS and weigh-in with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on barriers to care, Medicare coverage, issues specific to beneficiaries with substance use disorders (SUD), and pain care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The map utilizes qualitative research methods and human-centered design process to visualize the experiences of living with, providing care for, and treating patients with chronic pain.
ASA is pleased CMS is prioritizing various perspectives on experiences with pain and pain management and applauds the efforts to understand more about access to covered care and services for people with chronic pain.