WASHINGTON — Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) introduced a measure Monday evening to reduce pressure doctors face that may lead to overprescribing painkilling drugs called opioids.

Under Obamacare, patient survey results are factored into Medicare payments to hospitals. But experts point out that questions specifically related to pain management could have the unintended effect of pressuring physicians to prescribe opioids in order to ensure high patient satisfaction scores and reimbursement.

Johnson’s amendment would ensure that pain management questions on patient surveys would not factor into Medicare reimbursement calculations. The amendment is based on a bipartisan measure introduced in the House by Rep. Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.) known as the Promoting Responsible Opioid Prescribing Act. That bill has been endorsed by the American Medical Association.

Johnson said this about the measure:

“It is important to be mindful of unintended consequences of well-intentioned actions. The government may mean well by linking payments to patient satisfaction, but there is a real concern that specific questions about pain management place inappropriate pressure on doctors. Physicians must be free to exercise their best judgment when prescribing the proper level of pain medication – that’s what patients and taxpayers expect.”

The legislation was one of several amendments Johnson is proposing to improve the opioid bill, which is named the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act.

Other Johnson amendments include measures that:

• Prioritize the reform of standards for prescribing painkilling drugs to protect patients suffering from both pain and post-traumatic stress disorder.

• Ensure the Indian Health Service is included among federal stakeholders in developing best practices for prescribing pain medications.

• Require evidence-based methods for federal grants addressing opioid abuse.

Johnson also proposed an amendment to encourage the Food and Drug Administration to clear bureaucratic barriers to swifter access to potentially lifesaving treatments for terminally ill patients. The FDA issued guidance over a year ago intended to make access to treatment easier, but the guidance has not yet been finalized.

Yet another Johnson amendment will enhance the ability of the Department of Homeland Security to measure progress in securing the border by directing it to use better and more consistent data. The bill also requires the agency to make its data available to the public and to report specific information on border security regularly to Congress.