Lost chances to treat overdose survivors are documented in new Medicare study

A new study documents lost opportunities to treat drug overdose survivors covered by the Medicare program — and illustrates the difficulty of managing chronic pain.

Overdose survivors “should be at the front of the line for the full range of medications and counseling and support,” said Dr. Brian Hurley, president of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, who was not involved in the study, published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Instead, those on Medicare who survived a...