AmerisourceBergen Expands Opioid Assistance Program for Associates

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. – AmerisourceBergen, a global healthcare solutions leader, is expanding access to its Opioid Assistance Pilot Program to all full-time associates and their dependents in Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania who are enrolled in a company-sponsored medical plan. The program is a collaboration between AmerisourceBergen, Carebridge Corporation, and the company’s health insurance provider. The Opioid Assistance Pilot Program provides educational resources and clinical support to raise awareness of alternative treatments to opioid utilization, encourage safe use of these medications when an opioid is prescribed, and ensure there is an adequate network of providers for those who need treatment.

“Employers committed to safe and healthy workplaces have a responsibility to address the opioid epidemic. We firmly respect that responsibility and that’s why we’re implementing and offering programs like this to our associates,” said Silvana Battaglia, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at AmerisourceBergen. “By working with innovative and forward-looking organizations, we hope to make a sustained impact on the health and safety of our associates’ and their dependents’ lives, while identifying best practices that can encourage other organizations, large and small, to do the same.”

The Opioid Assistance Pilot Program focuses on several key components, including:

• Limiting prescription size for new/acute opioid prescriptions
• Identifying specific procedures likely to utilize pain medication
• Providing the services of a Care Coordinator to discuss the procedure and associated pain expectations
• Establishing pain management protocol for select, eligible procedures
• Encouraging patients to consider alternatives to opioids
• Providing enhanced medical benefits and an increased number of covered therapeutic treatments covered by the medical plan for patients who engage in the Program
• Assisting with access to quality treatment providers and facilities for substance use disorder

Eligible associates and their dependents also have access to a free, digital toolkit that provides additional information about the risks and side effects of opioid misuse and information on how to safely dispose of opioids that may already be in their home. Carebridge Corporation provided educational tools related to opioid use and abuse and directives for engaging associates in the use of the Employee Assistance Program for treatment support.

About AmerisourceBergen                  
AmerisourceBergen provides pharmaceutical products, value-driving services and business solutions that improve access to care. Tens of thousands of healthcare providers, veterinary practices and livestock producers trust us as their partner in the pharmaceutical supply chain. Global manufacturers depend on us for services that drive commercial success for their products. Through our daily work — and powered by our 21,000 associates — we are united in our responsibility to create healthier futures. AmerisourceBergen is ranked #10 on the Fortune 500, with more than $160 billion in annual revenue. The company is headquartered in Valley Forge, Pa. and has a presence in 50+ countries. Learn more at amerisourcebergen.com.

About Carebridge Corporation
Carebridge is a full-service provider of integrated employee assistance programs (EAP) and work-life services. Established in 1990, Carebridge has a 30-year track record of success in assisting premier organizations with employee populations of 500 to over 130,000 in a wide spectrum of industries domestically and worldwide. Carebridge is committed to decreasing employees’ struggles with mental health and substance abuse while offering solutions to everyday challenges of childcare, eldercare, education planning, finances and legal concerns. Carebridge builds strong partnerships with leadership to affect workplace issues, resolve productivity problems, decrease absenteeism, reduce risks and manage crises. To learn more, please visit carebridge.com or connect with us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.