Health care law and policy occupy a prime place in the current news cycle. Much of the attention revolves around the actions or inactions of Congress and the White House, particularly with regard to their impact on the future form and function of the Affordable Care Act. Some significant health care issues can become overshadowed in the sometimes-tumultuous debates surrounding hot button pieces of national legislation. One of these national, recurring, and seemingly growing issues is the problem of opioid abuse and addiction.

Originally Published in the Birmingham Medical News - November 2017.